


The Cat Was Killed From Curious Thrills

by DarkHououmon



Category: ChalkZone
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-22
Updated: 2014-10-04
Packaged: 2018-02-18 09:37:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 181,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2343752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkHououmon/pseuds/DarkHououmon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"If you think I'll go easy on you, think again, Snap. You aren't human. You're just some chalk creature that invaded our world. I intend to get the truth from you, one way or another."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Catch

It just didn't make any sense. No matter how much he looked at the situation, no matter how much he analyzed it based on what he was told, it just didn't add up. Something about it was wrong. There was something missing. He couldn't quite think of what it was. But something was definitely wrong here.

Mr. Wilter had been pacing around in his living room for the past hour, trying to make sense of everything. His mind replayed the incident over and over again. He usually was good at making sense of things. He was an intellectual teacher after all. He didn't waste time on cartoons or anything like that, giving him more time to focus on the logical. He could hear the craziest story ever and he could, sometimes, look it over and have it make some sort of sense.

But this time, he just could not. And it frustrated him, giving him a headache. There was something wrong with the story, he knew, but he hadn't been able to pinpoint just what it was. He knew that, if he kept thinking about it, regardless of how much his head hurt him, he would figure out some kind of sense to it. The story, he knew it must have some kind of logic behind it. Even if he had to search the very back of his mind, he would figure it out. He often did in the past. He was not going to let this be one of those stories that 'got away from him'.

But something about Snap White just didn't add up. No matter how hard he thought, there was just something wrong with that foreign exchange student thing that Penny told him. It had been months since the incident and he hadn't thought much of it lately...until he had passed by Terry Bouffant while on his way to the grocery store. She had made a quick mention of Snap, the blue kid, and said something about how he was not a foreign exchange student.

At first, Wilter had just dismissed it. Nothing about Snap seemed that odd to him. He looked like any regular kid to him. An obsession with superhero costumes, for certain, but nothing really that out of the ordinary. He had thought about ordering Snap to take off his costume, but class had just started and he didn't want to waste time conversing with a student when he knew he had to begin class. Principal Stringent would not be pleased if she came down the hallway and saw that he still hadn't started class yet.

Now, thinking back, he realized that Penny's story really did not make a lot of sense. He didn't know why he didn't catch on earlier. Snap's sudden appearance did seem rather odd. He didn't hear the door open or see Snap moving over to the chair. And just how had he not heard of this foreign exchange program? If Rudy was going to be absent for a day, temporarily replaced by Snap, he should have gotten word of it. Principal Stringent should have told him, but she didn't seem to know about this exchange program either.

And then Rudy, somehow, showed up back in school the same day. He had seemed so confused when he told him about that essay on Greenland, like he had no idea why he would give him a random assignment. Rudy should have expected such an assignment if he really did go to Greenland. The fact the sounded puzzled and looked confused made Wiltr realize that maybe, just maybe, Rudy never was in Greenland after all.

It made sense if he wasn't. Greenland was pretty far away. It would require a plane ticket that was a few hundred dollars. The so-called foreign exchange program only lasted a day, but from what he read, the shortest they usually are is a week, at least around here that's how it was. Maybe two weeks. Why would Snap's parents pay for a one-way ticket that would cost them hundreds of dollars...just for Snap to say one day? That didn't make any sense. The only logical conclusion Wilter could come to is that Snap wasn't from Greenland.

But if he wasn't from Greenland, then where was he from? And why would Penny lie to him about his whereabouts? Surely there was nothing wrong with telling him where Snap came from, was there? When he tried talking to Rudy, he came up with the same story. He wasn't sure if this meant that they really were, somehow, telling the truth and Snap's case was just really bizarre, or if Penny had come up with a cover story and shared it with Rudy, and Rudy was just using it. Wilter realized that the only thing that would make the most sense is if Rudy and Penny were trying to hide Snap's true land of origin.

Why, though? Why would they lie about that? What was the point? Mr. Wilter was not going to fault Snap no matter where he came from. He could come from the most unpleasant part of the world, and as long as he behaved himself here and didn't cause trouble, he had no problem. And yet, despite that, Rudy and Penny still lied to him. He knew there had to be some reason. Was Snap's place of origin really so special that they couldn't tell him? Was it so difficult for them to tell him the truth about where he came from? Was the place Snap from dangerous? Bizarre? Different? Was it going to cause a riot of word spread of where he was from?

Then his thoughts wandered back to Terry Bouffant. He recalled that she had been working on a 'world of chalk' story for quite some time. She was obsessed with it, working on it from practically every angle. He had seen her tail Rudy and Penny in school. He hadn't done much about it as he thought it was pretty harmless. The worst she was doing was annoying the heck out of those two. He had been interviewed by her before. She was eccentric and a little nutty, but overall harmless.

He recalled the story he had given her. He remembered, months ago, seeing someone break into his classroom. When he had walked in, he saw someone in the chalkboard and there was a bright white light. The person had erased the portal that was on the chalkboard. He had then gone to the police station to report it. The police hadn't taken him seriously and wondered why he was acting crazy. This agitated Wilter. Even today, it still hit a sore spot. There was no way he could have imagined something like that. He did not have a wild imagination. He wouldn't lie about something like that.

Especially when he saw two kids walking out of the chalkboard... No way he'd make something like that up. Maybe as a kid, he might have. But not as an adult. He had gotten too mature to make up such wild stories. He had gotten himself arrested when he tried to point out the two kids that suddenly appeared in the police station. But no one believed him, and he ended up going to jail for a little while for causing such a ruckus at the station. He was lucky to keep his teaching credentials after that and continue on with his job.

He had tried his best not to think about the incident. Reliving it when he was talking with Terry had not been very pleasant. He remembered the names he was called while he was stuck in prison. Those stinging words... they came back to his head as he thought about the incident again. But this time, he realized something else that he hadn't taken notice of before. Something he wished he had realized sooner. The children that had crawled out of the chalkboard... It had been Rudy and Penny...

He knew he should have known this before. There was no mistaking those two. Rudy with his artwork... Penny with her love of science.. They were two of the most distinguishing students in his class. How had he not realized it was them earlier? He soon realized the reason why. He had been so worked up over seeing someone in his chalkboard, he wasn't thinking clearly. His mind didn't register the fact those kids were his students. All he could see was two people getting out of the chalkboard and then erasing the portal. But now that he was thinking more clearly and not so high strung on panic and shock, he could think back to the incident and realize it was Rudy and Penny that he saw.

Thinking back to Terry and her obsession with the world of chalk, and then back to the incident of seeing Rudy and Penny climbing out of the chalkboard, Mr. Wilter was able to start putting together the pieces of the puzzle. This world of chalk...it may very well be real. Quite real in fact. And if it was, and if Rudy and Penny have access to it, was it too much of a stretch that Snap might be from there? That would indeed explain why Rudy and Penny would lie about where he came from. Saying he came from a land of chalk drawings may not have suited well with him. Plus, a chalk world was a very big deal, something different and bizarre. He imagined his two students didn't want word of that place getting out.

Then something else came to his mind. He remembered when he saw a 'rude drawing' on the chalkboard when he came into class that fateful day. He hadn't realized it until now, but the drawing was identical to the blue kid that showed up just seconds later. His mind reeled when he thought about some of the things Terry commented on during their conversation, some things that other people who had seen Snap pointed out. Those mysterious '2D powers'... Even if Snap was a contortionist, no one could bend the way he could have as described by those who saw it. The only way was if he...was if he really was a 2D drawing...

The realization struck the back of his head like a lightning bolt. His body stiffened up, freezing here he stood. His eyes widened. Yes...that would explain everything. Snap came from this chalk world... Rudy and Penny knew about this world and for some reason, want to keep it a secret... So they come up with a cover story that, at first worked, but now was falling apart under scrutiny... His legs feeling weak, Wilter fell back into the couch. His mind reeled with this discovery, and he tried his best to digest it.

The idea of an alternate dimension connected to their own, where anything drawn on a blackboard comes to life, it was a frightening realization, one that sent cold shivers down Mr. Wilter's spine. What if these beings were dangerous? Snap seemed like he was okay. He didn't try to hurt anyone. But then, what if he was hiding his true intentions? And what of these other chalk creatures? What were they like? If anything drawn on a blackboard appears in this world, like Terry theorized, then didn't that mean this world was populated by giant monsters? He knows the kind of things kids like to draw. Some were harmless, while others... and the idea of them becoming real..being able to enter their world...

Mr. Wilter rubbed his head, a pain sweeping through it was he tried to cope with this news. This chalk world could be dangerous. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that something needed to done about it. Terry's reports have proven that these chalk creatures have access to their world. Sure, not many of them had come. There was Snap who seemed harmless and friendly enough. And there were those frog-like things that appeared once, who disappeared suddenly, likely going through a chalkboard Terry had theorized.

But the idea of them having the ability to come into Plainsville at all was terrifying. If harmless things could come through, what about more vicious things? What kind of creatures lurked in this chalk world? What would happen if more of them came through? If relatively passive creatures like that blue kid could come through, then, by logic, wouldn't it be very easy for more aggressive chalk creatures to make it through? This world of chalk... there was so much hidden danger. He...he couldn't just keep quiet about it. He had to do something. He had to make sure that those beings of chalk didn't have some kind of plan to invade the real world. He had to make sure steps were taken to prevent these chalk creatures from trying anything.

How was he going to do this, though? He had so little information. He needed to figure out how he could get more data before he could make an appropriate move. The first thought that came to his mind was talking with Terry. But she was out of town right now. She'd be back relatively soon, but he wanted to take action as soon as possible. He wasn't in the mood to just wait for her. There was Vinnie, who had claimed to be in the world of chalk, but he was too nutty for him. He didn't think he was stupid or anything, but someone like him wasn't exactly subtle. He needed to think of something else.

He heard some kids' voices outside. He got up from his couch, his legs still a little wobbly from his discovery. He went over to the window and lifted up part of the blinds. He peered outside and he could see some kids outside trick-or-treating. He had almost forgotten it was Halloween. He knew these kids weren't going to come by his house. He had his porch light turned off as he did not have candy this year. He wasn't interested in participating in the whole trick-or-treating thing. He did have a Halloween decoration up, pretty fancy one at that, but nothing else beyond that.

He soon took notice that, among the group of kids across the street, there was Rudy and Penny. Rudy was dressed up as some kind of knight while Penny wore a scientific-looking costume. Wilter grumbled softly to himself and started to turn around before he suddenly noticed someone else. There was a third person with them, standing right behind Rudy. Wilter's eyes widened as he realized it was Snap. He had come back into the real world. And he was trick-or-treating... That made sense. His superhero costume did fit in with Halloween. Everyone around him would think he was just some small kid who really loved that superhero costume. No one would think any differently.

But Mr. Wilter knew better. At least, now he did. There was something different about that kid, and now he knew why. He realized that this might be his best chance at getting information. Snap might be able to tell him exactly what he needs to know. But how to proceed? He didn't think just asking him to come over would work well. He might not get the information he needed if he got all three of them to come over. No, he knew he had to weed Snap out from the group, get him alone so he can talk to him.

But how to proceed with that? He didn't have any candy to offer, or anything sweet. He didn't have a convincing story to get Snap to speak with him alone. And he might not be able to come up with anything convincing. If Rudy or Penny become suspicious, they might follow him or tell their parents or even the principal. He knew he had to be smart about this. The more he thought about it, the more there was really only one way he could get Snap alone without inciting suspicion from Rudy and Penny that he was with him.

Kidnapping Snap...

The thought sent chills down his spine. He had never thought about kidnapping someone before. It wasn't in his nature. He was not interested in getting arrested again. He would normally never think of kidnapping a child before. He knew it might..no it would land him in more hot water. People don't take too kindly to someone who kidnaps a child.

Then something hit him. Snap was a different story. He realized he shouldn't feel all that guilty about kidnapping him. He wasn't a child. He was not human. He was just a drawing. A chalk drawing that had crossed the boundaries of his world and into theirs. And now that he was in their world, in their territory, he should know that there are consequences to that. He continued to look out the window, his eyes narrowing slowly. Yes.. Snap would tell him what he needed to know. Before the night was over, he would be in his custody.

Although he knew there may be consequences, especially if the police believe Rudy and Penny's story about Snap being human, Mr. Wilter felt getting him was the best course of action. With the possibility of these things posing a threat, he had to take some course of action to protect the people of Plainsville. These chalk creatures must be dealt with. They needed to be...tamed... And the first one who will be was that Snap 'kid'.

He just needed to figure out the right moment...to strike.

sss

Rudy, Penny, and Snap walked down the street together. They followed behind a group of other kids, all dressed up in costume. Rudy was having a great time with his friends. He knew they were having a wonderful time as well. He wished he had thought about this before. He and Penny loved to trick-or-treat, but they hadn't thought of bringing Snap along before. He was always wearing a costume, so he'd fit right in.

Snap had been excited when they invited him to come alone. He didn't even need to get ready. Already wearing a costume, all he really needed was a trick-or-treat basket, which Penny was happy to provide for him. This gave Snap a good opportunity to walk around Rudy's neighborhood without worry of being spotted. Everyone would just think he was some little kid in a costume.

Snap loved the idea. He was really big into exploring new places. He hadn't been around Rudy's neighborhood that much, so this gave him an opportunity to look around it without appearing suspicious. He looked left and right, taking in the sight. Rudy could tell he was enjoying himself. He couldn't help but smile at this. Snap didn't get to explore the real world that much due to certain factors, such as real world water. So any chance he had to explore some bits of the real world without worry of getting hurt always made Snap happy.

He did have a little outburst about the real world being horrible, but that was just because Snap was just startled from his hand being washed away by water. He flinched at the memory. That had to have hurt. At least the damage never went beyond that and he was able to fix it. He was also glad that Snap's initial dislike of the real world diminished since he knew what to expect. The real world had some differences from ChalkZone. Some Snap didn't like, others he did, or at least didn't mind.

"This is great, Rudy!"

Snap's voice took Rudy out of his thoughts. He looked over at his friend. He could see that Snap was holding up his bag, showing off all the candy he had gotten. Rudy couldn't help but smile at this.

"I never knew gathering candy could be fun!" Snap said with a smile on his face.

Penny giggled at this and pointed a finger at him. "Well it's not like you can even eat the candy."

"Yeah I know." Snap said. His mouth spread into a grin. "But so what? At least I'm enjoying the experience! Besides, this candy won't go to waste." He jerked the bag forward a little. "I'm going to give it to you guys after we're done!"

"That's really nice of you, Snap." Rudy said, smiling.

"Yeah." Penny said. "Nice of you to think of us like that..." She glanced down at her bag. "...although we do already have a lot of candy."

"Oh peh shaw!" Snap waved a dismissive hand. "You can never have too much candy! Besides, I don't think your folks would mind you bringing home some extra candy this night, would they?"

Penny scratched her chin thoughtfully. "No I suppose not. I could come up with some kind of story to explain to my mom why I have more candy than I usually do."

"My parents wouldn't mind. They're used to me bringing home a ton of candy anyway." Rudy said. He was about to continue when he heard a small beep sound. He looked down at the watch his mother gave to him to use for tonight. There was a reason for it. "Sorry, we have to stop trick-or-treating now." Rudy said sadly.

"Aww...but why?" Snap looked so disappointed.

"Sorry, Snap. But my mom wants me back now." Rudy explained. "She invited my aunt Tilly and cousin Sophie over for a small Halloween party. She expects me to be home soon." He really wished he could trick-or-treat some more. He was having a great time with his friends. Then a thought crossed his mind. His mom never said he couldn't invite anyone else to come over. Plus, they needed to go back to his house anyway so that Snap can go back to ChalkZone. He stared at his two friends and asked, "Would you two like to come with? I'm sure my mom won't mind if you guys come over."

"That's a great idea!" Penny said with a big grin on her face. "I don't think my mom would care if I come over to your place for a little while. I can call her when we get to your house."

"I'd love to spend some time with you at this party, Bucko! But uhh..." Snap smiled somewhat nervously. "Do you mind getting me something to drink from ChalkZone? I'm a little parched and you know that real world water goes right through me..literally."

Rudy gave a lighthearted chuckle. "Okay, Snap. What would you like?"

"Just some water." Snap replied. He paused, rubbing his chin. "Oh and maybe some candy, too. All this trick-or-treating is making me want some candy.

"Okay then." Rudy looked at his friends and motioned with his hand. "Come on, let's go! My parents will be upset if I'm late coming home!"

With that, Rudy, Penny, and Snap turned around and started to run back towards his house. Rudy didn't usually run back to his house like this, but considering he was going to be late if he didn't and he'd rather not upset his parents, there was really no harm in it. Besides, a little exercise never hurt anyone. Penny ran along beside him. Snap wasn't as fast, but he wasn't that much slower either. He was about a foot behind them.

As they ran, moving along past other trick-or-treaters who were coming up this street, Rudy thought about what kind of fun he and his friends will have at the small party. His mom said there would be a couple of games and a movie they'd watch. They hadn't chosen the exact movie yet. He was hoping it was not going to be some horror movie. He wasn't in the mood for getting scared tonight, plus it would not be appropriate for Sophie.

They would reach his house soon. They were coming down to the four-way intersection now. They just had to make a turn and then they would be on his street. The intersection was easily recognizable by the tall bushes and thick tree that grew here. He and Penny used to play around here when they were a little younger and a little smaller. It was an excellent hiding spot...at least until they used it so often it was the first place they looked.

He made the turn, grabbing onto the pole and swinging himself so he turned onto his street. He and his friends continued to race down the sidewalk. By now, they didn't run into anymore trick-or-treaters. So it was easy for them to make a straight shot all the way to his house. He could see it off in the distance. He pushed himself harder, wanting to get home as soon as he could. He knew his folks would have some apple cider ready to drink. He smacked his lips together in anticipation. Like Snap, he was getting thirsty and he knew Penny was as well.

Soon they reached his house. He and his friends stopped at the door, panting heavily. He took the time to catch his breath. They hadn't run that far, so it didn't take long for him to calm down his speeding heart. He glanced over at Penny, watching as she took in several deep, quick breaths. He waited for her to catch her breath as well before he decided to speak to her.

Moments later, Rudy said, "Next time, I'll try to plan this ahead more often. I do feel back about bringing this up at the last minute." He turned his attention to his house door. "I hope my folks won't mind."

Penny narrowed her eyes a little. "Why would they mind?"

"I guess I'm just worried about upsetting them. I don't think they'd be upset, but..." Rudy gave a soft sigh. "I guess I just wish that I thought this through more. I hate making decisions this late."

"Oh don't worry about it, Rudy." Penny said, a soft smile on your face. "It will be fine. You'll see."

"Yeah, I'm sure it will be." Rudy said, smiling back.

Yeah, Penny was right. It would be fine. His parents would be understanding. It's not like he was bringing total strangers into the house. They knew Penny and they were at least familiar with Snap as he had told them the foreign exchange student story in the past. He still felt like he should have thought of his sooner as he didn't like making last minute decisions like this. He felt he should have planned this out from the beginning. Oh well, nothing he can do about it now.

He walked up to the door, Penny standing next to him. He reached for the doorknob and grabbed a hold of it. He paused for a moment. He realized he had forgotten to ask Snap about what kind of candy he wanted. He leaned himself back a little and turned his head to the side so that he can hear his friend's voice more easily.

"Hey Snap! What types of candy would you like me to draw?" Rudy asked.

There was silence. Snap did not reply. Rudy wondered if he needed to speak up louder. Snap might have fallen a little behind them. He waited a little bit and then tried again.

"Snap! What kind of candy do you want?" Rudy inquired, speaking in a somewhat louder, more clear voice than before.

But still no reply. Rudy wondered if Snap was deliberately ignoring him. No..that wasn't right. Maybe he just didn't hear him? No, that wasn't right either. Snap was not a quiet zoner. The only thing he can think of is that Snap had fallen behind. When he turned around, he saw that only Penny was with him, but not Snap. Rudy felt bad. Snap really had fallen well behind them. They should have stopped and let him catch up.

Rudy walked away from his door and out towards the street. Penny followed close behind him, the look on her face indicating she realized the same thing he did. He went onto the sidewalk where he knew Snap would be coming down.

"Snap, we're sorry we didn't wait for..." Rudy's voice trailed off, his eyes widening in horror. He heard Penny give a sharp gasp, the same thought running through her mind as well.

Snap...was nowhere to be seen...

Cold chills rushed through their body. Where..where was Snap? His heart beating quickly, forgetting that he had to be home right now, Rudy started to run down the sidewalk. Penny followed close behind, panic etched on her face. There..there was no way he could have just disappeared like that. He had to be down here somewhere. He just had to. He and Penny ran back along the street they just came from, up to where the intersection was.

Upon reaching it, they looked down the other street, the one they were just on before. Still no sign of Snap anywhere. They looked around, trying to find any blue prints he may have left behind by mistake, a torn piece of clothing, a fallen piece of candy, anything that might give them a clue. But they found nothing. There was no sign of their friend anywhere. The realization that he had just..vanished...sent shivers down their spine. All of a sudden, all the joy they felt during their trick-or-treating, all the excitement they felt at the prospect of a party, it all disappeared, replaced by cold fear.

Rudy's breathing rate increased, his heart pounding against his chest. He looked left and right frantically. Where could Snap have gone? He was with them when they were heading down this street. And he was certain he was with them when they made the turn... But then he realized that he really didn't know exactly where he would have disappeared. He was so focused on getting back... Snap could have went off in a different direction without him realizing it, or maybe someone took him. Rudy hoped that Snap just wandered off on his own and just got a little lost somewhere. He did enjoy exploring.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked over and saw Penny staring at him with a sympathetic expression. She said, "Don't worry, Rudy. We'll find him."

Rudy wanted to believe her. He so wanted to. But he didn't even know where they could begin looking. Snap could have gone in any direction, and it was getting dark out. They couldn't stay out much longer. Their parents would want them back home soon. How were they going to continue to look for him?

Penny seemed to read his mind. She said, "Let's go back to your house, Rudy. I'll call my mom and say I'm spending the night at your place. I'll come out here and do some searching on my own."

"By yourself?" Rudy asked, his eyes wide.

"It's a safe neighborhood, Rudy. And besides, trick-or-treating will still go on for about an hour." Penny said, a small smile on her face. "I'll use that hour to try to find Snap. I'll bring him over as soon as I find him. It will be fine, Rudy. I'm sure Snap just took a wrong turn or something."

"That's what I'm thinking to..." Rudy said softly. "I'm hoping that's what it was. It just...scares me so much that he just disappeared like that and we didn't even notice..."

"It scares me too, Rudy. But I'm sure everything will be okay. I'll try my best to find Snap. As soon as I do, I'll come back to your place." Penny said, pulling Rudy into a partial hug, her arm slung around his shoulder. "Now why don't you go back to your parents and try to enjoy yourself a little? I'll be back with Snap as soon as I can."

"O-Okay..." Rudy wasn't entirely sure about this. But he knew Penny was right. Having her look for Snap was the best option right now. His parents weren't going to let him stay out too late, especially when they want him home for the party. He gave Penny the best smile he could. "Be safe..."

Penny smiled back at him. She hugged him tighter. "Don't worry. We will..." She released him and backed away a little. She paused and then said. "Let's head back now, Rudy. Let me talk to my mom and after that, I'll head out and look for Snap. I'll be back as soon as I can. I promise."

With that, Rudy turned and started to head back towards his house. Penny followed beside him, keeping herself in his line of sights so he is assured that she didn't disappear as well. As they headed back, preparing to put Penny's plan in motion, Rudy's mind swirled with thoughts of what had happened. He had no idea how Snap had disappeared like that. Why would he wander off? Or did he wander off? A dreadful thought endtered his mind. Had...had something else happened...?

He might be overthinking things. He might be overreacting. But the realization that Snap may have been taken... It was something that he knew wasn't very farfetched. This neighborhood might be safe, but that didn't mean it was without its dangers. That was why he was worried about Penny going on her own. He knew it was useless trying to talk her out of it, though. She sounded very determined, and she was right. It was Halloween night and it would be difficult for anyone to grab her.

But if Snap were taken, if he was kidnapped...were was the kidnapper hiding? And would they go after Penny as well? His heart clenched at the thought. He felt trapped. He didn't want Penny going off alone, but he also didn't want to deny her the chance to find Snap. If he was kidnapped, the sooner they looked for him, the better. The same applied if he just got lost. He wanted to find Snap himself, but his folks likely won't let him back out at night. In the end, the only options he had was either force Penny to wait with him before they looked for Snap or he let Penny go on her own and risk losing her as well.

In the end, he realized there was really only one option he could take. He didn't know how he wa s going to pull it off. He knew that his folks may not like it. He already talked to himself why it may not work. But in the end, it was the only option he could think of that would satisfy everyone's needs. Penny couldn't go alone. He couldn't just go home knowing that Snap might be in trouble. And Snap probably couldn't afford to wait before someone found him. The only choice he could make was...

...going with Penny to look for Snap. He'll talk to his folks and try to see if there's any way they'll let him go out for a little while. And once he did, he and Penny would search for Snap. He hoped he was okay.

sss

Snap couldn't believe it. Why did he have to do this? He had never done some thing so stupid in his life... Okay maybe he had. This wasn't the first time he had just wandered off when Rudy and Penny weren't looking. There was the time he was flung into the real world and Penny took him outside and told him to stay put. And what did he do? He wandered off, though granted, he at least stayed on the playground.

This time, though, he did something even stupider. He had been running along behind Rudy and Penny. Then something caught his eye. There were some pretty-looking Halloween decorations on the other street. Elaborate-looking too, and it was singing some kind of song. The colors were so captivated, Snap found it hard to look away. Without realizing it, he started to wander over across the street and towards the decorations. He wanted to see this up close and personal His drive to explore, his curiosity, it was getting the better of him and soon he found himself on the street, standing in front of the decorations.

He had stared in awe at the bright colors, listened to the wonderful music, and walked around the decorations, looking at it up and down. Once he felt he had his 'fill' per say of looking and listening to this thing, he decided to catch up to Rudy and Penny. But when he went back towards the street, he didn't see where they went. He knew they had gone back to his house and there was a street they turned on but...which one was it...?

With a cold sensation, Snap realized that he had no idea which street Rudy's house was on. He was not that familiar with the real world yet. He didn't know street names or land marks. He had no idea how he was going to find his way back to Rudy and Penny. His heart started to beat quickly. He tried not to panic. He..he just had to stay here and wait for them. Yeah, that's it. They would realize he wasn't with them and they'd come back for him. He knew they would. And when they did, he'd apologize for wandering off like that.

He still couldn't believe how stupid he was. He was usually smart enough to know that he shouldn't just take off like that, especially in some place he didn't know that well. He bet Rudy and Penny were going to be worried sick about them. He felt awful, knowing that he must have caused them to panic. He was usually never far behind them. He knew better than to wander off, and yet he had, and all because he was curious about that Halloween decoration. Ah well, nothing he can do about it now except wait for Rudy and Penny. He was not going to make the mistake of wandering off again and getting himself more lost.

Just then, he heard footsteps behind him. He could feel a shadow casting down on his body. He didn't have time to turn around when he felt something looped around his head. A cloth...and it was suddenly tied tightly, forcing his jaws together. With his mouth tied shut, he could only let out muffled cries. He tried to remove it, but a pair of hands grabbed onto him, pinning his arms at this sides. He was dragged backwards, behind held by someone larger and stronger than he was. Before he knew it, he was pulled into the house.

Snap struggled against his captor, trying to kick at them, trying to free his arms to punch them, anything. He shook his head from side to side, a desperate attempt to get the cloth off his head. The cloth pressed tightly against his skin, making it impossible for him to move his jaws open. He tried to twist his head around a little to see who had taken him. But at this angle, he was no chance. The figure was keeping him still, pressed against their body.

Soon he was taken down to what appeared to be a basement of some kind. It certainly smelled like one. And it looked like one as well. The basement was barely lit, mostly dark. It had a dank feeling to it, which irritated his skin. It was similiar to how humidity felt to him. He was already uncomfortable and this guy hadn't really done much to him at all. The longer he stayed here, the more irritated his skin would become. At least it wasn't going to kill him...but that didn't make the situation much better.

The figure took him over to what appeared to be a chair. Simple one, metal in structure. He was dropped down into it. Snap attempted to jump off the chair, but he was yanked back when his captor grabbed his arms. He was pulled back. He winced in pain when his arms were painfully bent behind his back and crossed over each other. The figure took some rope and began to tie his arms together behind the chair. More rope was pressed across his chest, and then his legs and lap, immobilizing him on the chair. He struggled to get free, but it was no use.

"I am surprised it was so easy to catch you." His captor spoke. "I would have thought I had to do more planning. But I guess I just got lucky tonight."

Snap's eyes widened at that voice. No, it couldn't be... He wouldn't do something like this, would he? No, he must be hearing wrong. This man might be strict, but he wouldn't resort to kidnapping... That wasn't like him. It had to be mistaken identity...it just had to be... It wasn't possible that he would do something like this.

Then his captor spoke again, as if reading his mind. "I normally would not dream of kidnapping someone... The idea frightens myself. Kidnapping a child is a low blow..." The figure gave a soft sigh. "But then, you aren't a child, are you? At least..not a human one."

At this, Snap felt his blood freeze. His eyes widened in horror. This figure...they..they knew he wasn't human. Somehow..they knew.. He felt his body start to tremble a little as the realization swept through his body. This wasn't good. Oh no...why did he have to wander off? Why didn't he just stick with Rudy and Penny? Now look where he was... Tied up and gagged in someone's basement. He should have heeded the warning about curiosity killing the cat.

The figure started to walk around him. And soon they stood in front of him. Snap looked at the figure, trying to get a good look at him. There was so little light here, it was hard for him to tell just how it was. The shape of this person did seem familiar. He was certain he had seen this person somewhere before. He saw the figure hold up something in his hand. He pushed himself back in the chair, wondering what his captor was going to do with him.

"I know I fell for the whole foreign exchange student program, Snap...but I'm not buying it anymore." The figure said. Snap looked up at the figure in fear. "I took you down here so I can figure out the truth. I know you are a chalk drawing Snap. All the clues add up to that." At this, Snap cringed, horror welling up inside of him. "And I intend to find out more about your kind... I intend to find out how your kind can be controlled...just in case it ever becomes a..necessity."

Snap couldn't believe what he was hearing. This guy kidnapped him to find out how to control zoners? And what necessity was he talking about? Why did this guy think controlling zoners was required? How did he find out all this anyway? What exactly did he have planned for him? Was he going to try to control him? Snap struggled harder against the ropes, knowing that he had to get away somehow.

"Struggle all you want to. You aren't going anywhere." The figure said. He moved in a little closer to Snap. The thing in his hand was raised up higher. "You aren't leaving until I learn what I want from you. And maybe I'll practice...taming methods on you.. You are a chalk creature, and therefore, it is best if methods of control are found. You might be a danger to society."

A danger to society? Is that what this guy thinks he is? When had he done anything that showed he was a menace, a danger to anyone? And this guy wanting to tame him like he was some kind of dog..how revolting. He wasn't some stray animal he found in the alleyways of some city. He was a sentient person, and he had kidnapped him. He had to find someway to get out of here, and fast.

The figure positioned the item he held in his hand over his head. Snap could see the man's fingers moving towards something. There was a click and suddenly green light shined down on him, bright and blinding. Snap shut his eyes, letting out a muffled cry. He shifted his head to the side, shielding his eyes from the bright light. He slowly turned his head as his eyes adjusted. His eyes widened as the green flashlight had illuminted the figure enough that he could definitely tell who it was. Horror swept through him and he found himself shaking his head in utter disbelief.

The figure used his free hand to reach over and undo the knot that held his jaws together. The figure pulled the cloth away, allowing Snap to open his mouth. Snap took in a few deep breaths, his eyes wide in shock at who was standing before him.

"Mr. Wilter...?" Snap asked, his voice low and soft.

"Yes..." Mr. Wilter narrowed his eyes. He put the flashlight over Snap's head, illuminating his face green. "Now..talk..." He commanded, his voice sounding scarier than it ever did, permeating Snap's soul. The zoner stared at the grumpy old teacher in fear.


	2. An Attempt Of Escape

Snap was frozen in fear. He couldn't believe this was happening to him. He had no idea how this night changed so quickly from being an incredible night with his friends, to being a terrifying predicament, trapped here with none other than Mr. Wilter. His mind raced, thoughts filling his head. Rudy and Penny...they wouldn't know what happened to him. Would they find him in time? How far was Wilter willing to go to get what he wanted?

Mr. Wilter never struck him as a very violent person. Based on what he was told by Rudy, Mr. Wilter can be stern, sometimes has outbursts, but overall is a pretty decent human being, in the sense that he wouldn't hurt anyone. That, for a moment, brought some comfort to Snap. Knowing that Mr. Wilter wouldn't resort to violence was comforting and might make this stay a little more bearable.

But that relief was short-lived when he realized what Mr. Wilter said to him before. Any relief that was in him melted away, replaced with apprehension. Wilter was willing to hurt him, he was certain of that. Because Wilter did not see him as human... While he was right, the way he said it convinced Snap that, because of this, Wilter likely saw him less as human, and thus, may be more willing to hurt him. So far, Wilter has not done anything specific to prove or disprove this train of thought, but he had a feeling that, sooner or later, he was going to find out.

Mr. Wilter stood in front of him, glaring harshly down at him. Snap felt his body shivering from fear. He had met Mr. Wilter before, under better circumstances, when the teacher thought he really was from Greenland. Now, when the man looked at him, he saw the distrust and anger in those eyes. Anger that he was lied to...distrust that he wasn't human, but some being made of chalk... The man held the green flashlight, the light shining on him still. Snap had adjusted to the light and Mr. Wilter appeared darker due to the contrast created by the flashlight. It made the situation seem scarier to him.

What was he going to do? He couldn't just hand information over to him whilly nilly. That would be disastrous... If Wilter found out about ChalkZone... how to get into it... zoner weaknesses... That would bring about disaster. There were so many things that pose a danger to zoners, and if he let it slip out about any of them... There was no telling what would happen. He had no idea how far Wilter was willing to take this. He didn't know if he was going to use that knowledge to bring harm to zoners. He hadn't yet confirmed if that was his intention or not. He hadn't said what he was going to do with the knowledge once he obtained it, except when he mentioned something about controlling the zoners.

The offensive thought made him shudder. Why did this man think zoners needed to be controlled? Why did he want to try to tame them? Was he going to try to tame him? He was still miffed about that comment, though he hardly noticed due to his fear. This man was willing to try to figure out methods of control, and he bet that he was going to be the guinea pig to try these out on. A sickening feeling rose in Snap's gut as he realized that, if Mr. Wilter's efforts work, he might be reduced to an obediant dog, doing whatever the man told him to do.

The thought was chilling. He didn't want to be reduced to being someone's performing monkey. He didn't want to walk around with a leash on, figuratively speaking. He was a sentient living being. Mr. Wilter should treat him with some level of decency, not like he was some wild animal that he caught. He wished this man would understand this. Why couldn't he see how what he was doing was wrong? Oh wait, he did acknowledge that, but because he wasn't human, Wilter doesn't feel he should worry about feeling guilty with trapping him. That's the vibe he was getting.

The longer he was quiet, the angrier Mr. Wilter looked. Snap shuddered, shrinking under the cold gaze of those eyes. He turned his head and tried to look away. This didn't last long as the mean reached out and gripped his head. With a painful twist, he was forced to look back at him. Snap's eyes widened as he saw just how close he was. Those intense eyes...it made him whimper in fear. There was clear intent in those eyes. From the look in those eyes, Snap could tell that Wilter was likely willing to do whatever it took to get what he wants.

Snap had to resist. He had to not tell Wilter anything about zoners, nothing about ChalkZone. He couldn't let him find out more. He couldn't betray the other zoners like that. He would never be able to forgive himself if he let slip any vital information that Wilter could use to his advantage. He had to figure out a way out of here. But how? He was trapped. He had nowhere to go. And he doubted Mr. Wilter would let him go just because he asked. He could try to give him fake information but he wasn't sure if that would work. Wilter might be wise to his lying now and be able to pick it up.

Snap remained quiet. Despite the man glaring at him, being this close to him, those intense eyes at his face, he remained silent. He jerked his head free and looked away, gritting his teeth. He made it clear that he was not going to talk. He knows he might be hurt for this. He knows Mr. Wilter might try something on him. But he just couldn't give in like that. He had to resist telling this man anything. No matter what he did, no matter what he tried, he just could not tell Mr. Wilter anything. He wasn't sure how he was going to get out of this mess. He'll figure something out...somehow...

"Why don't you speak?" Mr. Wilter asked coldly. He adjusted the flashlight, bringing it closer to Snap's head. He watched, eyes narrowing, as Snap turned his head away, shutting his eyes as the bright light got close. "I know you can talk. You were speaking to me moments ago."

Snap still didn't talk. He looked up at Wilter with one half opened eye, teeth clenched. Except for an occasional whimper or two, Snap did not speak. He would love to try to talk back at him, to show defiance. But here, in the real world, with this teacher who 'hates cartoons', that might not be a good idea. He was at a disadvantage, stuck in a world where so many things could hurt him. If Mr. Wilter caught wind of that, he might...

"Speak!" Mr. Wilter snarled.

Snap let out a cry of surprise. He pushed himself back further into the chair, trying to keep away from the angry teacher. His heart began to race, pounding against his chest. He stared fearfully into Wilter's eyes. His mind raced with thoughts. What was Wilter going to do to him? That was a question that kept entering his head. It wouldn't leave him. He really had no idea just what this man would do to him. He wished he knew. Even if it was something terrible, knowing was better than not knowing. At least he could mentally prepare himself.

Sitting in this seat, shivering in front of this grumpy teacher, Snap cursed at himself mentally. Why did he have to wander off like that? Why did he have to come look at the stupid decorations? Yeah they were pretty, but they weren't worth getting lost and getting captured. He should have stopped Rudy and Penny. He should have stuck with them. He should have kept following them. He should have done any of those instead of just walking away to look at something.

Now here he was, strapped down in this teacher's house. Rudy and Penny had no idea where he was. He had no idea if he was ever going to get out of here. He was trapped, and it was his own fault. He shouldn't have wandered away from his friends. This world was dangerous for him. He was unsafe in the real world with all the hazards out there. He was so stupid to just walk away like that. He was now trapped and he had no idea how he was going to get out. He had no idea just what Mr. Wilter was willing to do to him to make him talk.

Mr. Wilter glared at him intently. Snap did his best to keep quiet. He tried to ignore the teacher's waning patience. He tried to ignore how angry he was getting. He tried instead to focus on his friends. He hoped they would find him soon. He hoped that some kind of clue was left outside. He wanted to get out of here. He wanted to be with his friends again. He wanted to be safe. Rudy and Penny were smart. They'd figure out what happened to him, he was certain. But..would they find out in time? He realized, in horror, the teacher couldn't have food or water for him if he had no magic chalk. The realization that he could die here even without the teacher lifting a finger horrified him.

Mr. Wilter slammed his fist against the chair, narrowly missing his arm. "You piece of chalk! Speak to me! What are you? Where do you come from? Tell me what I want to know!"

Snap opened his mouth. He quickly shut it. He narrowed his eyes very slightly. He gritted his teeth and then shook his head. He turned his head away, his gaze towards the ground. He just had to remain vigilant. He couldn't allow the teacher to get him to speak. Revealing anything about ChalkZone could be disastrous. Even small things could be weaponized, especially if Mr. Wilter was smart enough to know how to wield such information.

Mr. Wilter hissed and struck him in the head with the flashlight. Snap let out a cry of pain and lowered his head. He still refused to speak. He looked up at Mr. Wilter. He saw the flashlight raised again. It came down on him, this time on his arm. He hissed in pain, shutting his eyes. But he still kept his mouth shut. Mr. Wilter was already getting a little frustrated with him. Snap knew that he might get dangerous if he becames too flustered, but his top priority right now was making sure he did not get any information he could use to harm ChalkZone and zoners with.

"Filthy chalk thing!" Mr. Wilter growled. Snap winced at the insult and at the volume of the teacher's voice. Another hit, this time against his leg. "Talk! I swear, if you don't speak, I will find a way to make you talk, and believe me, if I have to resort to that, you will deeply regret not listening to me..." His voice was a low, threatening growl.

The places where Snap was struck ached with dull pain. Mr. Wilter hit him pretty hard. He was glad that he wasn't using too much force behind those hits. Mr. Wilter was larger than him, and if he hit with just enough force, he could cause a lot of damage. But Snap didn't know how long Wilter will be 'gentle' with his hits. Would he increase them the longer he didn't answer? Would he resort to doing something worse if he remained quiet?

Despite his fear of what might happen to him if he kept quiet, Snap refused to speak to the man. He stared into his eyes, gritting his teeth. He attempted to struggle a little. The ropes around him were tight, holding him down effectively. Wilter grew more and more agitated as time passed when he refused to speak. He had hit him again a few more times, a little harder than before. Snap's body ached more with pain, but he still kept quiet. ChalkZone would be in danger if he let himself give into Wilter's demands. If he had to be hurt in order to keep it secret, he was willing to do it.

Mr. Wilter gritted his teeth together. His grip on the flashlight tightened. Snap's fearful eyes looked at it, wondering if he was going to crack his skull open with it. He was relieved when Wilter lowered the light. He watched as he set it on the ground, the light pointing upwards. Snap winced as he saw all the dark shadows casted on Wilter's now green-tinted body. He moved closer to Snap, more so than he had before. Snap struggled in his seat to get away. Mr. Wilter put his hands on his shoulders and, without warning, put his face close to Snap's.

Snap let out low whines as Mr. Wilter's face was just an inch or so away from his. His cold, blue eyes studied him up and down. Snap's lips pressed tightly against each other, pursed, keeping himself from talking, even with this man's face so close. He pushed himself as far back as he could. Mr. Wilter's eyes narrowed further. He growled lowly, a snarl pulling back at his lips. Snap shivered at the look of pure contempt. He never had anyone look at him like this before. Even Skrawl's glares were calm compared to what he was getting here.

"So you won't talk..?" Mr. Wilter asked. His voice was strangely calm. Snap stared at him and shook his head. Mr. Wilter closed his eyes for a moment. He moved back, releasing Snap's shoulders. "Very well then."

Snap was confused when Mr. Wilter walked away. He watched as the man went out of his field of vision. He could hear the footsteps as they faded away. He thought, at first, that maybe Mr. Wilter was going to let him go. Maybe he realized that trying to make him talk wasn't going to work. A part of him knew it was never that easy and that he shouldn't get his hopes up. But there was another part that hoped this was the case. It would be the fastest way for him to reunite with his friends and get out of here unscathed.

Any amount of relief he felt disappeared when he heard the chains. A chill swept through his heart, his blood running cold. He turned his head, trying to see Mr. Wilter, what he was holding. Slowly, Mr. Wilter walked up to his left side. Snap looked over at him. Mr. Wilter held something in his hands. At first, he couldn't tell what he was holding. Then the teacher raised it up and soon Snap could see what it was. Green light reflected off of looping metal and he gasped. It was chains with a cuff at the end of it.

"I know I'll find a way to get you to speak. But for now, I'll take you to your room." Mr. Wilter said calmly. Snap was a little creeped out by how fast his anger disappeared. Or was he just masking it? He watched as Mr. Wilter lowered the cuff to his neck. "This chain will keep you from getting away."

Snap winced as he felt the cold metal squeeze against his throat. It was a little tight and he gagged on it. After Wilter fitted it on him, the man went around to untie his binds. Snap couldn't try to run. The man still had a hold of the chain. He remained still as Mr. Wilter untied all of the ropes that held him down. With a sharp yank, Snap was dragged forward. He nearly fell into the ground. Mr. Wilter caught up and held him up. After Snap regained his footing, the man gave another sharp pull, wordlessly telling him to follow. Having no choice, Snap did so.

Mr. Wilter lead him up the stairs. They soon entered the main floor of his house. He was taken down the hallway. At the end of it, to the right, there was a single door. Mr. Wilter reached into his pocket and pulled out a key. He unlocked the door and went inside, dragging Snap with him. He turned around and shut the door behind him. For a few seconds, it was pitch black. Then Snap heard a click and the light was suddenly on. He winced at first, adjusting to the brightness. Once his eyes got used to the light, he took a look around.

The room was largely empty, more so than the basement had been. There was a strange smell to this room. The walls looked very clean, and so did the floor. It was like this room was hardly used for anything. Maybe it was brand new or something. That odor did remind him of the 'new' smell, the unique scent brand new objects had when they weren't used that much yet. The room had light blue walls all around him, a tinge of grey. He could see a small window, complete with a dark-shaded curtain. A metal bar was hooked up to the wall.

Upon seeing the metal bar and the tiled floor, Snap realized that this must be the makings of some kind of bathroom. He looked around the room again as he was being dragged further into it and he saw a dotted line mark on the wall, indicating where either the toilet or the bathub would be hooked up to. This realization filled him with dread. Just how close would he be to real world water? And would he have to fear something breaking and him getting wet? His heart pounded heavily at the thought.

Mr. Wilter dragged Snap up towards the wall. Snap tripped and fell into the ground. He whimpered in pain as he was dragged across the ground. Mr. Wilter didn't bother helping him up this time. He just continued to pull the zoner, his grip on the chain like a vice. Once he reached the metal bar, he proceeded to hook up the other end to it. Once the cuff clicked in place, he tugged on it a few times. After he looked satisfied that the chain was not going to break under his weight, he turned to Snap.

"You will stay in here for a while. The chain will keep you from trying to escape. I will leave for a few hours, and you will remain here. I will come back later tonight to talk to you some more. Maybe a little bit of alone time will give you sone time to think about the consequences if you don't tell me what I want to know." Mr. Wilter said coolly.

Snap looked up at Mr. Wilter. He struggled to his feet. His body felt a little sore from being dragged across the ground. He glanced over at the chain, seeing it hooked around the metal rail. Even though the teacher already tested it, Snap attempted to make a few sharp pulls. Just as he suspected, there was no way he could yank this out. That wouldn't stop him from trying, though. He wasn't going to just sit around and take being chained to the wall like some kind of feral animal. He turned his attention back to Mr. Wilter, who still stood by him with that cold expression.

He found it hard to believe that this was Mr. Wilter. He had never done anything in the past before to indicate he was capable of this kind of behavior. Snap had to wonder...just what was it about him that frightens Mr. Wilter so much? He had met him before. Wilter knew that he was a perfectly civil 'chalk creature' as he would put it. So why was he treating him like some kind of wild animal that he found? Why was he so paranoid? Why did he need to chain him to the wall like this? What was he so afraid of?

He didn't know if he was going to get any answers from him. He might ignore anything he tried to ask, save for select questions he might not mind answering. Snap had no idea how long he was going to stay here. He had no idea what Mr. Wilter intended to do with him if he did tell him everything he wanted to know. Would he just let him go? Or would he hang onto him because he's a 'menace to society'? Would he try to put on a shock collar to try to control him? Possibly not. That seemed a bit extreme. But after what this man did to him today, would it really surprise him at all if he did something like that? He hook his head mentally. No..no it would not.

Snap felt dread rise in his heart as he looked around his current 'home'. An unfinished bathroom. Even though there was no toilet or shower or anything, even though there was really no way the real world water could get to him, just the thought of him being so close to the stuff frightened him. What if there was a leak and the real world water got in here? Trapped, he wouldn't be able to leave. What if Mr. Wilter decided to use the stuff on him in order to make him talk, or just to get rid of him?

He wished that Wilter had chosen some other place to chain him to besides here. He would even take a dingy old closet over this. Anywhere that wasn't close to real world water would be better. But he thought it best not to ask. He needed to try to keep quiet as much as he could. If he attempted to speak, even just one word, Mr. Wilter would try to pry more information from him. Plus, hinting to him that he doesn't like this room would prompt him to keep him there even more. Wilter looked like he wanted him to be uncomfortable so he could be more eager to speak. Snap couldn't let him get to him like that.

Mr. Wilter knelt down, going down onto one knee. He reached over and grabbed onto the chain. He yanked it hard, causing Snap to gag. The zoner was flattened on his back on the ground. He gritted his teeth in pain and looked up at the teacher. Though he was afraid, he still refused to say anything. Whether or not Mr. Wilter was trying to make him talk, he wasn't certain. But the teacher was not very happy with him, regardless. He shuddered under the man's cold glare.

"I do hope that some time alone will help you think about things, Snap. Maybe you will come to understand the need for me to have this information. If you fork it over willingly, then you would be allowed to leave." Wilter said. Snap responded by turning his head away. Wilter sighed. "Of course you'd respond like that. You just don't understand. Then again..." He grabbed Snap's head and forced him to look at him. "Could I really expect less from a chalk creature like you? You're not speaking because you're afraid your superiors will get upset at you. Understandable..."

Snap gave him a confused expression. Superiors? What was this man talking about? Did he really think that he was working for some higher up being in ChalkZone that was able to watch his every move? That was such a ridiculous idea. Sure, a lot of crazy shit happens in ChalkZone, but there were still limitations. What Mr. Wilter suggested just...wasn't even feasible. Yeah it was kind of possible with Spy Fly, but still...what Wilter was implying was ludicrous.

"However, I will get you to speak...one way or another.." Mr. Wilter released Snap and stood up. "I promise you that. Now, I'm going to get going now. I'll come back in three hous. Maybe three hours of being all alone, to think about the consequences will help you be more cooperative. Things would run more smoothly if you just cooperate with me, Snap." The zoner looked away. Mr. Wilter narrowed his eyes. "Very well then. But I don't think you'll have that attitude later on." He turned around. "I'll see you in a couple of hours, Snap."

Snap watched as the grumpy man walked out of the room. The door slowly shut behind him. He heard a click and he knew that the door had been locked. A cautionary measure he was certain. If he were to break the chain by some miracle, he would have to contend with the door. Snap knew he didn't have the strength to break down the door anyway. And there was no way he could get thhis chain out of the metal thing. He was trapped here. Seeing nothing else he could do, he sat down on the ground.

He wondered how Rudy and Penny were going to find him. He didn't know if they would even find any clues. Even if he left blue smudges, which he doubt he did, that wouldn't be enough to tell them what happened. It would tell them where he was, but that was it. They might not connect them to him being kidnapped by their teacher. He felt so frustrated, so helpless. He wished he could contact his friends..somehow...

But he couldn't. He knows that beating himself up over wandering off wasn't going to help. But it kept entering his head, refusing to leave him alone. If he hadn't done something so stupid, he wouldn't be in this mess. He didn't mean to keep bringing it up in hsi head, but it was a very big mistake that he had made. A stupid one at that. He knew the dangers of wandering off alone and look at what it got him.

And now he had no way out of here. He was chained to a fucking wall for crying out loud. No matter how hard he pulled, no matter how much he tried to free himself, nothing was working. The cuff around his neck was too tight. It didn't choke him, thank goodness, but it still made it difficult for him to get it off his head. His round head was pretty larget. His leotard fit over his head fine due to being flexible. But this metal cuff? It wasn't going to work like that. He tried to pull on the chain again. He tugged on it hard, but to avail, just like before. He couldn't believe he got himself trapped.

Then, suddenly, a thought flashed in the back of his head. A realization swept over him like a tidal wave. There was something he had forgotten. He didn't know how he forgot. He just did. Why didn't he think of it before?

His 2D powers... In the real world, he had 2D powers...

Snap glanced down at the cuff that went around his neck. He laid himself on the ground. He licked his lips in determination. This had to work, it just had to. He closed his eyes and he flattened his body, turning into what looked like a living cut out. Using his now flat arms, he pushed against the cuff. His face folded inwards as the cuff slipped from his neck, over his head and then completely off.

Snap stood up and stared down at the cuff, now resting on the ground. He took in a few breaths, rubbing his somewhat sore neck. He felt relieved that the cuff wasn't around his neck anymore. That was one discomfort he wouldn't have to worry about again. At least it wasn't on too tight or hurt him that badly, though. If Mr. Wilter had made it too tight... He tried not to think about it. Right now, he had to focus on getting out of here.

He walked up to the door. He reached over and tested the door knob. Locked, just like he suspected it would be. He gave a small smirk. Now that his mind cleared itself up and he actually remembered what he could do, getting out of here was going to be easy. He still had to be careful, though. He couldn't afford to make mistakes.

Flattening himself again, Snap pushed himself under the door and soon he was on the other side. Wasting no time, he began to make his way through the teacher's house.

sss

Rudy wasn't in the mood to stay wtih the party anymore. Although his parents tried to coax him into staying down with him, he just wasn't in the mood for it. He wasn't very happy with them right now anyway. He...he needed sometime to himself. He ignored his parents calls as they tried to get him to speak to them. He just walked off and went up to his bedroom without saying a word.

He had talked to his folks about going outside in a little bit and walking around. They didn't want him to go back out. He had attempted to persuade them. He explained to them that he had lost something and he needed to go find it and that Penny was going to help him. He would have told them that he was looking for someone who was lost, which was true, but that might cause more problems. He had a feeling that it would make things just as difficult if he pulled the 'looking for something' card, and he turned out to be correct. His parents both believed it could wait until tomorrow.

Rudy tried to insist that it couldn't wat. He tried to get them to agree to let him out in the dark night. He understood their concerns. He understood that they didn't want anything to happen to him or Penny. But it was just around the neighborhood, which was generally safe. He wouldn't be gone that long...or so he hoped. He had no idea where Snap was. He could only hope that he was staying in one spot until they find him. If he were moving around, it would be a lot harder to find him. He wished he could go out now to look for him, but his parents just won't let him.

Penny had tried to back him up on it, but it wasn't good enough. Mrs. Sanchez and Tilly also agreed that they should stay inside now. It was dark out now and the adults were worried for their safety. No matter what Rudy and Penny said, it wasn't changing their minds. The adults were not allowing them back outside. The only time Penny would be allowed out was when her mom was going to take her back home. They couldn't sneak out either. Both the doors had at least one adult nearby.

Rudy was pretty mad at his folks. He usually wouldn't be this way. He does understand why they were worried, and normally he would concede. He'd be a little sore but it wouldn't be a big deal. After all, they were his parents and they were just looking out for him. Going out in the dark was not a smart move to make. He could get lost and though this was a safe neighborhood, something might still happen. Like whatever happened to Snap...

And that was why he was angry. This wasn't like before when nothing really important was on the line. This time, Snap was missing. He could be anywhere in the neighborhood...or was he even the neighborhood at all? Could he have been taken by someone? He had disappeared so fast and so quietly... He shuddered as different images played in the back of his mind. He hoped that Snap was okay. He had no idea of knowing if he was hurt, if he was pleading for help, or anything like that. He just had no fucking idea...and all because he didn't play close enough attention to him... He should have held onto Sanp. He should have made sure he was following him. He should have...

"Hey Rudy."

Rudy looked over in the doorway. He saw Penny standing there. "Hello, Penny." He replied solemnly. "I take it sitll no luck?"

Penny shook her head slowly. "No. I'm sorry Rudy. They won't let us leave."

Rudy let out a soft growl. "I'm not surprised..."

"Rudy...I know this setback is terrible, but..." Penny paused, thinking for a moment. "Well we can't let it put us in despair. We can look tomorrow. I'm sure Snap will be okay."

"How do you know?" Rudy asked, sounding a little more bitter than he had intended.

"Because he's a smart zoner. He knows enough of the real world how to keep himself out of danger." Penny said. She took a few steps towards Rudy, who sat on the window sill. "He'll be okay, Rudy. He's probably just waiting in some secluded place for us. Maybe he's hiding in that bush or something."

"Maybe..." Rudy wanted to sound more enthusiastic. But he just couldn't. Not after what happened today. Not while he had no idea what happened to his friend, where he could have gone. "I just...I just wish I kept a closer eye on him. Getting lost in the real world is dangerous. If it rains out tonight..." Rudy's voice trailed off, not wanting to continue.

Penny gave him a reassuring smile. She got closer and soon touched his shoulder. Rudy looked up at her, his eyes brimming with tears. "I understand, Rudy. I don't think Snap will get caught out in the rain, though. He knows better than to stay out in the open for long. He knows what the smell of approaching real world rain is like. As soon as he gets a whiff of that kind of smell, he would seek shelter."

Rudy wiped away a tear. "Yeah I know." He looked at his finger, noting the moisture on it from his tears. He looked over at Penny. "But what if he doesn't find shelter in time? There might be some places for him to hide, but there's not that many."

Penny smiled at him gently. "Snap is fast. He'd be able to move quickly enough." She sat down next to Rudy, putting herself close to him to comfort the boy. "There's a number of places for him to hide from the rain here. He'd be able to make it to one in time. He's pretty fast if he has to be." She looped an arm around him, pulling him close. "And please don't beat yourself up over this, okay Rudy? This wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known this would happen. Please don't feel bad. You'll see. We'll go searching for Snap tomorrow. We'll find him and he'll be okay. He's probably waiting for us right now."

Rudy gave a small smile. He did feel a little better. He still felt the horrible sting of guilt and despair, though. And he didn't think those feelings would go away anytime soon. He still felt like he let his best friend down. He should have kept a better eye on him. He should have made sure he was still following him. And now something like this had happened...The horrible guilt would cling to him for some time.

But Penny was right. Snap was a smart zoner and he knew how to keep out of trouble usually. He knew to be extra careful in the real world due to all the hazards around. He would know to keep out of sight during nightfall and especially if rain was approaching. There didn't seem to be any kind of storm or rain approaching tonight, but that could easily change. But though the thought still frightened him, he let Penny's soothing words enter his mind and help to calm him.

Yeah, Snap was okay. He was probably laying somewhere, like in a shed or something until daybreak. He and Penny could search first thing tomorrow. It was the weekend, no school. So that would give them plenty of time to look. Their parents wouldn't object to them being outside during daytime. They could retrace their steps and try to figure out where Snap's vanishing point was and go from there.

"It will be okay, Rudy." Penny whispered gently. Rudy noticed there were a few tears in her eyes. "It will be okay..."

Rudy looked at her and gave a bit of a wider smile. He leaned in closer and wrapped his arms around her. He needed comfort and she gave it to him. Now it was his turn to return the favor." "I know it will..." He spoke in a calm voice. He pushed his cheek against hers. "I know.." Penny returned the hug, the two of them sniffling as they cried out their emotions and stress.

When they parted, they began to discuss what their plan of action was going to be when tomorrow came.

sss

Snap moved along the hallway very slowly. He took small steps, being as quiet as he could. He looked left and right as he headed down, making sure Mr. Wilter was nowhere in sight. A few times, there was a very slight creak to his steps, making him stop and wince. Thankfully, they hadn't gotten the teacher's attention and he continued to move along. If he kept this up, he'd be out of here before the man would come back to check on him. If he can at least get out the door, he stood a chance.

The entrance of the house wasn't that far away. He was on the main level of the house, so he knew it would be easy to spot. The problem was getting there without being seen. He hadn't seen Mr. Wilter yet. But he knew that, if he slipped up, he might run into him again. He recalled how irrational the man acted to him before. He shuddered as he thought about how he might react when he finds him out of that locked room. He couldn't allow himself to get caught again. And getting out of the door, the front which was the closest, that was his best bet.

He thought about the windows, but all of them were closed tightly. He couldn't fit through them even in his 2D form. He could try to open them, but he feared he would make too much noise doing so. The front entrance, however, was a different story. Mr. Wilter had the thick door opened up, and the lighter door had a gap. Not much, but it would be enough for Snap to slip through. Getting to it won't be easy, with Mr. Wilter being anywhere in this house. But he would try. That was all he could do.

Further down the hallway he went, towards the living room. It was dark and he could hardly see. The light from the television was on. He could hear some faint voices, which he guessed was from the television itself. This bit of light provided enough illumination for him. He crept along slowly, keeping his body hunched forward almost in a crouch. He took care not to step on anything laying on the ground. None of the bits of garbage that Mr. Wilter hadn't cleaned up yet. It almost amused him; for a teacher obsessed with students following the rules, he certainly wasn't doing a good job with keeping himself orderly at home.

He soon started to pass by the living room. It was a fairly decently sized one, with a large television on a stand, a small couch, and a recliner. The couch was facing him and luckily there was no one in it. But the recliner was a different story. Though the recliner's back was to him, he could see a raised bump in the shadow of the piece of furniture, made noticeable by the pale light of the television. Snap realized that Mr. Wilter had come down here to watch some shows to pass the time.

Upon this realization, he started to move even slower, more cautiously. Every time he made the slightest sound, he would freeze and look over to make sure Mr. Wilter hadn't noticed it. Once he felt relief that he didn't hear him, he inched his way closer to the door. He was so close now. All he had to do was keep this up a little longer, just a little longer, and he would be home free. Even if Mr. Wilter spotted him once he reached the door, he just needed to use his 2D powers to slip under the door and run away. Mr. Wilter couldn't chase him down, not without drawing attention to himself.

As he got closer to the door, he felt excitement rise up inside of him. Soon, after he left this dreadful place, he could begin to look for Rudy and Penny. Maybe they were out looking for him now. Yeah, he bet as soon as he leaves, he'll see at least one of them walking down the street trying to find him. He hoped they wouldn't be too angry with him for wandering off. He knows that it was silly to think that. They were his friends and they would be glad that he was okay. They wouldn't go off on a rant, especially after he had alluded his captor. Still, it was a thought that kept entering his head, and he couldn't help but feel guilty for worrying his friends so much.

Oh well, at least that would all be fixed soon. He was a foot away from the door now, and getting closer. He looked over at the living room. The shape on the couch that he knew was Mr. Wilter, never once moved. Whatever was on television must have had the teacher so engrossed that he was unwilling to tear his eyes away from it. That was fine by Snap as it gave him the time he needed to get out of here.

Snap finally reached the door. He looked left and right, double checking to make sure no one was around. Then he looked down at the gap. He didn't waste any time. He closed his eyes and flattened his body. Once he was as flat as he could go, he dove down towards the opening. He fit his legs through first, then his waist, and now he was putting his arms through. Just a few more seconds and he would be out of this place...

But fate has a way of being cruel.

Just before his arms got halfway out, the larger door suddenly came forward. Snap's eyes widened and he tried to move faster. It didn't work and the door pushed up against him, bunching him up painfully against the ground. He let out a quick cry of pain at the suddenness of it and laid there with his eyes shut tightly and teeth gritted. He opened up one eye partway as he heard footsteps coming from around the door.

To his horror, there stood Mr. Wilter. Snap couldn't believe it. How had he gotten there so fast? Wasn't he over by the television a little while ago? Snap's eyes moved over to look at the chair. Much to his confusion, that lump he saw before was still there. But now, with the show on the television being brighter, he could see that what he saw wasn't Mr. Wilter, but instead a bunch of pillows that had been piled on top of each other.

"I see you fell for it, hook, line, and sinker." Mr. Wilter said, a smug smile on his face.

Snap's heart skipped a beat. This was all set up? Mr. Wilter had a feeling he was going to get out of that room? And he had set up the living room to make it look like he was watching some show, when in reality he was waiting patiently out of sight for him to get to the door? This was...intelligent. Creepily intelligent, especially for the teacher. Not that Mr. Wilter was stupid, but this was a move he would have expected someone like Terry Bouffant to pull. And strangely, right now, he kind of wished she was the one doing this, as he knew what to expect with her. Mr. Wilter? In this situation, an enigma.

Snap attempted to free himself. He tried to pull himself out from the door. Mr. Wilter pushed harder, getting him more stuck. Snap couldn't change back to his 3D form, not like this. He would break his bones if he did. But he can't pull himself free very well while in his 2D form. He was pretty much trapped with nowhere to go. He looked up, watching helplessly as Mr. Wilter lowered himself down to him.

"I admit, I had no idea if you would get out or not. But I didn't want to take the chance. So I decided to stay here and watch and see if you do come out. It was a good thing I did, otherwise you would have escaped." Mr. Wilter said in a calm, eerily calculating voice. "I couldn't have that, now could I? Not while I still have so much to discuss with you about." He reached over and grabbed Snap by one of his arms. "This would go so much smoother if you would just cooperate, Snap. But I guess that's too much to ask."

Snap was unable to stifle his cry of pain when Mr. Wilter painfully yanked him from the bottom of the door. Seconds later, taking full advantage of his 2D form, Mr. Wilter rolled him up like he was just a piece of news paper. His fist wrapped around his entire body and he squeezed it tightly. Snap let out a grunt of pain but tried his best not to scream loudly or throw up. Mr. Wilter looked down at him for a few seconds before making his way towards that room again. His grip tightened and Snaps nausaea from this kind of handling got worse.

Snap felt so stupid. How could he have fallen for that trap? How did he not foresee it? How did he underestimate Mr. Wilter? These questions and more swam through his mind. He wished he had paid close attention. If he had studied that shape on the recliner before, he would have realized it wasn't Mr. Wilter, but a stack of pillows. If he had gone a different way and use the back entrance, he might have stood a chance. Heck, he might have even stood a better chance opening the windows than try to use the front entrance.

Now there was nothing he could do. He could not return to his 3D form while folded up like this, with the man's hand tightly around him. All he could do was wait until he was released, and he knew he was not going to be released anywhere pleasant. It was hard to see much of anything with himself rolled up like this, but judging from the smells, he knew that he was fast approaching that bathroom in the works that he was trapped in before, and soon he heard the sound of the keys unlocking the door.

Now the smells were even stronger and he knew, even before he was unfolded, that he was in that room he was locked in before. Mr. Wilter shut the door behind him and took a few steps into the room. He gripped Snap by his head and he shook him once to unfold him. He then went over to where the chains were and knelt down beside them. Snap maintained the 2D form, knowing that Mr. Wilter could not chain him if he was cuffed.

Mr. Wilter picked up the chain and attempted to put it back on Snap. Like Snap predicted, it did not work. It kept slipping off of him, not able to keep a good hold on him. Mr. Wilter tried this a few times. Snap kept this up, hoping that, sooner or later, Mr. Wilter would get frustrated enough that his hold on him slips up and he could get free. Again and again, Mr. Wilter kept trying to hook him up. His neck, legs, arms, even his body, Mr. Wilter tried to fit the cuff around, but to no avail. But instead of getting frustrated like Snap thought he would, something else happened instead.

"You think you're so clever, don't you?" Mr. Wilter asked in a cool voice. Snap looked up at him in confusion. "Using your 2D form to try to keep yourself from being chained. Do you really think that is going to prevent me from finding away? Even to the most improbable situations, sometimes there are still answers, even if they are not always the smartest answers."

Snap was confused. What was this teacher talking about? Did he really think he had another way of keeping him chained to the metal railing? Snap couldn't help but give a small smirk of amusement at this. Mr. Wilter must be getting tired or something if he's starting to think that he has a chance of chaining him at all. He knew the guy was nuts, but this was the kind of nuts he did not expect from the man.

"But you see...I am not quite so stupid as you might think I am, Snap. I am a quick learner." Mr. Wilter said, his voice a little chillier than Snap had expected it to be. "Allow me to show you."

Mr. Wilter put his foot down on Snap's body, holding him against the ground. He then lifted up Snap's left arm, holding it tightly. He then positioned the cuff to it. Unlike before, Mr. Wilter didn't try to put the cuff around his arm. Instead, the tips touched around the middle of his arm. Cold horror swept through his body as Snap realized just what was about to happen.

Struggling, Snap broke his vow of silence. "No..please don't do it."

"Oh, so you can talk." Mr. Wilter said coldly. "Well I don't want to chat now. You'll just have to wait." Snap's eyes widened as Mr. Wilter lowered his head, his icy glare taking a hold of him. "In the meantime, why don't you sit here and..." His eyes widened and he suddenly snarled, "Relax!"

Mr. Wilter pressed down hard on the two ends of the cuff. It took little time for the teacher to force the two ends of the metal to slice through Snap's flat arm with a sickening crunch. Snap's eyes went wide, tears flowing down his face. A second later, his bloodcurding scream echoed through the room.


	3. Demand Of Answers

Pain...

Horrific, agonizing pain...

Snap's body wracked in agony. He trembled as he sat on the ground. No longer in his two dimensional form, he stared at his arm, his eyes wide in horror. He couldn't believe Mr. Wilter actually did this... Of all people, Mr. Wilter had done this to him. He never would have suspected that guy to do something so..cruel...

He looked up at the man, his eyes brimming with the question of 'why?'. Tears of pain and fear flowed down his face. His lower lip quivered as whimpers escaped his mouth. His arm shook hard, more so than the rest of his body. Around the middle of his forearm, the metal band went through, straight between the two bones that made up his arm. The metal hit against the bone, increasing the pain. Chalky blood dripped out of the wound.

Mr. Wilter's expression did change for a moment. He looked surprised, as if he didn't expect that to hurt him so badly. But the cold look returned, showing no sign of sympathy towards the zoner. He just glared at Snap was the blue zoner let out low whines of pain and distress. Snap continued to cry, gently cradling his left arm to his body, his tears dripping onto the arm. His low cries filled the room, and for a while, that was the only sound that could be heard. Giving a sniffle, suching in a shaky breath, Snap glanced back up at the man, silenlty wondering why he would do this to him.

Mr. Wilter's lip curled up in a slight snarl. "Don't look at me that way, you filthy little chalk creature. You brought that on yourself." His voice was icy cold. "You should have stayed put. You could have avoided this fate. But no matter.." He took a step forward and reached down towards Snap. The zoner cringed as Wilter lightly ran a few fingers along the chain before touching the cuff that cut into his flesh. "This will guarantee that you won't be able to get away."

Snap breathed in shakingly. "P-Please..." He squeaked in a barely audible voice. "G-Get this o-off me...I-I-I beg of you..."

Mr. Wilter narrowed his eyes. He shook his head once. "I cannot do that, Snap." He turned to glance down at the arm. "I admit, I had no idea that it would hurt you this badly... But it's too late for that now. The cuff is in your arm, and there it shall stay." He looked back at Snap. "If I remove it, I will cause more damage and there'll be more blood loss. I don't want you dying, so I can't risk removing this. I do not know how to treat you and I am not letting you leave just yet. So for now, the cuff will stay in your arm."

Snap stared at Mr. Wilter in fear. He was glad that Mr. Wilter didn't plan on killing him, but leaving the cuff in here like this? That was just cruel... Though the man did have a point and that more damage might be caused if he removed it, leaving it in wasn't much better. Snap attempted to move his left arm a little, only to be wracked with horrific pain. He let out a scream and his body shook in pain. He looked at Mr. Wilter pleadingly, silently begging him to take the cuff off.

"But don't worry..." Mr. Wilter rose up to his feet. He stared down at Snap, his eyes softening, though his expression still stern. "I'll remove the cuff later. After I'm sure I tamed you, I'll take off the cuff... of course this is provided I know how to treat it." Snap stared at him with watery eyes, still pleading with him. "As I said, I don't want to kill you...if it can be avoided. I'll be returning to what I was doing before. You can stay here for a little while."

Snap shook his head. "No...p-please..." Wilter cocked an eyebrow. "Take this off me n-now... I-It hurts t-t-oo m-much..." He shut his eyes, letting his tears drain forth from them. He let out a soft soft, a shiver going up his spine. He reopened his eyes and he stared at Mr. Wilter. His vision was blurry. "Please...I beg of you...ta-take it off..."

Wilter stared at him for a moment and he shook his head. "No. I told you, removing it will only increase your pain, and the damage. I don't want you dead. If I did, I would have pushed that thing through your head or neck or something." Snap's eyes widened in horror at the thought of that. "You will have to manage until later. I'll be back within two hours to speak more to you."

Snap shook his head, his begging eyes wide. "No! Please! Take this off!" His voice raised in volume as desperation clung to his heart. His face glistened with his pain-filled tears. "I'll be good! I promise I'll be good! Just please take this off!"

The man stood there and stared at him. It seemed like he was contemplating his offer. Snap looked back at him, his body trembling in pain. He glanced down at his arm, wincing as he saw how the metal cut through his flesh and muscle. Pain radiated around the center and spread throug his arm. He looked back at Wilter. At first, it seemed like the man was going to take his offer, but then the man just turned and began to walk away.

"No." Mr. Wilter said, his voice stern. "I'll remove it when I feel you've been...domesticated enough. And when I find out how to access this world of yours.." Snap's eyes widened in horror. Mr. Wilter turned his head to give him a sideways glance. "I'm going to take a guess that any medication in the real world won't help you. So I assume I'll need to go your world to find something for you."

Snap was horrified by this. Mr. Wilter wanted access to ChalkZone? That was only going to lead to disaster. There was no doubt that he was going to spread word of it. Even if part of the reason was to find medicine for him, it was still a terrible idea to let him in there. There were so many thing that would and could go wrong if Mr. Wilter somehow got away into ChalkZone. His mind ran with thoughts of what could happen.

Was Mr. Wilter going to bring in an army of people there to exterminate zoners they deemed too dangerous? Were they going to find a way to trap the zoners and try to control them? Was he going to do what Vinnie and Terry wanted to do and exploit ChalkZone for his own gain? There were so many questions about this plaguing Snap's mind, his head starting to hurt. Snap wanted to beg him not to do it. He wanted to try to reason with him, try to make him understand why giving him access to ChalkZone was a bad idea, that he should just let him go now, but pain and shock ruled his mind, making him unable to speak.

Mr. Wilter gave the faintest of a smirk, but Snap was able to detect the creepiness of it, even through his tear-filled vision. "I'll find a way into your world at some point, Snap. I know you need medical attention and that world I'm sure has what you need, am I right?" Snap didn't answer. "And besides, I'll definitely need accessto that world if I...change my mind about you." The way he spoke the last five words was eerie.

"Ch-Change your mind?" Snap whimpered softly.

Mr. Wilter nodded his head. "Yes." Mr. Wilter walked back to Snap. He bent the front portion of his body down. He began to stroke the top of Snap's head. "Who knows? I might decide to keep you around as a...pet."

Snap widened his eyes and jerked his head away. "I-I'm not a pet!"

"If I decide to keep you, then you will become one." Mr. Wilter placed his hand under Snap's chin and grasped it. "You do not have a choice in the matter, Snap."

"I-I'm a person!" Snap shouted frantically. In addition to the pain, disgust also came. The fact that his man really saw him that lowly, that he would even treat him like he was a dog or a cat was disgusting and disturbing. "I shouldn't be t-treated this way!"

Mr. Wilter's eyes narrowed. "You're not a person, Snap. You are a drawing. So if I want you as a pet, then I will have you as a pet." He released Snap and took a few steps away. "But don't worry. I haven't decided yet if I'll keep you or not. Maybe you'll get lucky and I'll release you." He began to walk away again. He stopped by the door. "I'll be back in two hours." With that, Mr. Wilter opened up the door.

"Wait!" Snap cried. "Please don't leave! Get this thing off me! Please!" He reached his hand out, a pleading expression on his face. But Mr. Wilter ignored him and the door was slammed shut, leaving him all alone. Snap let out a soft whimper. "P-Please..."

Snap looked back down at the cuff attached to his arm. He had no way of getting out of here now. Even in his 2D form, he would not be able to get away. The cuff went through his arm. He could feel the coldness of the metal inside. If he tried to rip the cuff off in either form, it would tear through his flesh and horrifically injure his arm more. He was stuck wearing this until Mr. Wilter removed it. He couldn't believe that the man was cold enough to leave it in for the time being. And the fact that he saw him less than a person was unsettling, and making him his pet...

Snap wondered how he was going to get out of here now. With this cuff on, he couldn't slip out of the room. He had no means of contacting Rudy and Penny. His heart clenched as he thought of those two. He didn't know how they were going to find him now. He hoped that they would find some sort of clue, anything, that would lead them here. He knew he couldn't escape without their help. He hoped they would find him soon. Without chalk food and chalk water, he had very little time.

His eyes traced along the metal chain as it snaked up to the wall. He looked at the metal bar that it was attached to. He stood there, his eyes locked onto it, for several moments, contemplating what he should do. Though he knew it wasn't a good idea, he decided to try to pull the cuff from the metal railing. A last ditch effort to try to escape from this place. He grabbed onto the chain and began to pull hard.

He tugged a few times, pulling harder each time. His right arm tensed up, his muscles rippling, as he tried to get the metal chain to dislodge. He pulled with all his might againd and again. Something had to give. If he kept pulling, it eventually had to work. He just had to keep trying, pull with all his might.

But then, on the final pull, he made a mistake. A slip up, and he felt himself jerk to the side. All of a sudden, his left arm was yanked hard do the sudden shift. A horrific pain erupted from his arm. Snap's eyes widened and he let out a bloodcurdling scream that echoed off the walls of the room. He collapsed to the ground in absolute agony, staring at his damaged arm with tear-filled eyes. He tried to cradle his arm, but even the slightest touch sent horrific pain shockwaves through his arm, forcing him to move his hand away.

Snap laid on the ground, twisting and writhing, trying so hard to get away from the pain. Sobs wracked through his body, tears streaming down his face. He tried to do something, anything to get rid of the pain. But all he could do was wait for it to go away on its own. Eventually, the pain started to subside and he stopped writhing on the ground. The sharp pain, after about a minute or two, did go away, but a dull constant pain remained. He continued to cry softly, laying on the ground.

What did he do to deserve this? Why did Mr. Wilter do this to him? What would make him act this way? He never acted this way before... Snap was determined to find answers. He needed to know the truth of what was going on, but for now, his mind was too focused on the pain he was feeling. His arm..it hurt him so badly... He couldn't stop shaking in pain. He couldn't stop crying. It wasn't fair..it just wasn't fair...

Unable to get himself free, his mind still reeling from the horrible mistake he made and how he accidentally yanked his own arm, Snap curled up in a ball on the ground. He continued to cry softly, his tears stinging his reddened cheeks. He sniffled loudly and shut his eyes in a desperate attempt to block out the pain. He wished he could just fall asleep, but that would be impossible with the pain he was feeling. All he could do was hope that a miracle would happen and he would somehow fall asleep, Mr. Wilter would let him go, or his friends would find him. He hoped one of the two other options would happen soon...before it was too late. He was getting really thirsty now...

sss

Mr. Wilter sat on the chair in the living room. He stared at the muted television in front of him. He lazily flipped through the channels, not really paying much attention to what was one them. He had told Snap he had to do something, but in truth, he just needed some time to sort out his own thoughts and figure out his next plan of action. Well he supposed that counted as doing something, now that he thought about it.

Snap's actions were pretty lifelike, he had to admit. For something that was just a drawing, Snap was acting like any person would. So this proved one thing. His acting before, when he was pretending to be a foreign exchange student, wasn't just a shere luck thing he pulled off. Those realistic emotions extended even outside of that. Mr. Wilter was almost convinced that Snap really was capable of genuine dynamic emotion, but a part of him told him that he should still be wary. Snap could be trying to trick him into letting him free, so he had to do his best not to be too moved by however Snap is acting.

He was genuinely shocked at how much damage he had done with that cuff, though. He hadn't been trying to hurt the drawing that badly. He just needed a way to make sure he couldn't escape again. He predicted Snap had 2D powers based on what Terry mentioned, and the fact that Snap was a chalk drawing. He turned out to be right, and luckily he had stopped Snap from escaping. Punching the cuff through his arm seemed like the most logical thing to do to keep him from escaping.

But the damage that it caused, and the way he reacted... Wilter had nearly forgotten about Snap not being a person and he almost fell for it. Good thing he didn't. Despite Snap's realistic acting, he couldn't really tell if the drawing's emotions were genuine or not. He was certain the pain was, but the fear, he wasn't entirely sure of. He would be able to deduce if he's right or not over the course of the next few days.

He had felt conflicted when Snap desperately begged him to take the cuffs off. The way he sounded, it did seem like the cuffs were causing him a lot of pain. They were going straight through his arm after all. But Mr. Wilter couldn't remove them, not without risking more damage. He didn't really want to hurt Snap that badly, let alone kill him. Keeping the cuffs in place would ensure there isn't too much bleeding. Though other problems might arise, for now, the cuff had to stay in. He didn't even have anything proper to treat him with.

Gaining access to that world would help. He could enter it and get the proper medication to treat him. He didn't want Snap dying. He didn't want to kill him if it could be avoided. But mending Snap's wound isn't the only reason he wanted in that world. He wanted a permanent way in so he could investigate it himself. He wanted to see this world of chalk and see how dangerous it might be. He wanted to see if less violent measures can be implimented to keep the chalk creatures at bay and to control them if necessary. If more violent measures are required, he would take note.

Forthe time being, he wasn't going to tell anyone about the access to the chalk world, whenever he got it. Though tempting, he decided not to incorporate Vinnie or Terry into his plans. They were too hasty, too willing to jump right into the fray. He wanted to take things a little more slowly and cautiously. He would only bring someone else into this plan if he found that it was required, or if the drawings turned out to be too hostile and he needed backup. These potential menaces to society needed to be dealt with as soon as possible, before anyone could be hurt.

Mr. Wilter understood that he might be overreacting. Snap hadn't made an aggressive gesture towards him, after all. Then again, all that proved was Snap might not be a violent drawing. That would make him easier to tame. But others of his kind might not be as nonviolent. There could be some very dangerous ones out there. He had to be prepared. He couldn't allow himself to lower his guard. Not with these unknown creatures. He had to remain vigilant. Until he learned more about them, he'd have to deem them all a threat.

He remembered the wiggie incident. He remembered how those creatures had terrorized the city. Sure, they were ultimately harmless and just ate hair. But still, the town had been frightened by them, their sudden appearance, and how tenacious they were. There was no evidence to convince Wilter that there aren't some flesh-eating versions of these things that could kill any human they came across. There was nothing to suggest that none of these drawings would tear apart the city the first change they got. If these chalk beings were as varied as he assumed they might be, then it wasn't much of a stretch to assume that some of these things were dangerous.

That was one thing that was driving his behavior. The fear of the unknown. Even though he believed there might be a chance of this variance, he believed that it wasn't a good idea to let his guard down, because again, he didn't know these creatures that well and thus he couldn't really safely say if they were harmless or not. To him, they all had the potential of being menaces, terrorizing the city if they were to get loose there. Who knows? The creatures might even be capable of deceit. Who is to say Snap is as non-violent as he appeared? What if he turned out to be something akin to the boogie man, just waiting to come out at him in the night if he wasn't restrained?

His paranoia regarding Snap was made worse by the fact that he had to deal with some nightmares lately. Ever since he saw two of his own drawings seem to 'come to life' in his own home at night, and how they appeared to be ghosts and might have been haunting him for some time, he had grown a little more wary around chalk drawings. And knowing that what he saw was not an isolated incident, that chalk drawings really were alive, that kicked the fear part of him into overdrive. The unpredictable nature of these chalk beings, and the very fact that they are, somehow, alive, frightened him. This gave him a greater urge to control Snap by any means necessary. Him and the rest of his kind.

Though he wouldn't admit it, part of the reason for his behavior was pretty selfish and...well, personal. Although he had no evidence other than Snap being from this chalk world, he sort of blamed Snap in part of his humiliation at the police station, which had resulted in him being arrested for a while. He was certain that Snap had helped Rudy and Penny pull it off. His blood heated up at the horrible memories of being put behind bars, having people mock him for his outburst about 'people climbing out of the chalkboard'.

Seeing Snap reminded him even more of that. And, though he tried not to, sometimes his anger started to get the better of him. That was why he struck Snap, and why he so hastily put the cuff in him. He knew it was not fair and that he should control himself, but he always had a hard time controlling his anger to some extent in the past. And his lust for revenge was getting the better of him. As shocked as he was with how the cuff had hurt Snap, a part of him was twistingly satisfied with it. A part of him felt that Snap was finally getting retribution for helping to humiliate him in front of the law enforcement. A number of people thought he was a nutcase because of that incident. It did feel good to get some payback.

As he sat there, he started to think of ways he could control Snap better. He wondered if there was some foolproof way he could get any of these chalk creatures to do what they're told. A special mechanism of some kind. He would get the information from Snap, one way or another. He just had to be patient. Him getting hungry and thirsty might help make things easier. If Snap becomes desperate for a glass of water, he might be more willing to relinquish the information. Then again, that plan might be a little risky. If Snap died, there goes his chance of getting more information regarding this chalk world and these chalk creatures. His head swirled with thoughs as he tried to think of something he could use that wouldn't kill Snap but make him more likely to speak.

That wound on his arm might be of good use. He could yank the chain and cause him pain if he doesn't speak. Pain was a great motivator and it could force Snap to speak. But then...wouldn't that be taking it too far? He already kidnapped someone, or rather something since Snap wasn't really a person, just a drawing, and he had hurt him pretty badly, even if he didn't mean to. Despite Snap not being human, he did acknowledge, now more than ever, that he was at least alive. Could he really be so cruel as to purposely irritate his wound? Even if it did give him results, would it be fair to do that to him?

He furrowed his eyebrows, weighing his options. He didn't really have anything else to go on. And he did respond to pain. Snap did say that he would 'be good' if he took the cuff off of him.. Yes perhaps he could use it to his advantage. A part of him felt sickened that he was willing to cause pain to a living being. He then reminded himself that he was a chalk creature and not from this world. Should he really be feeling so much sympathy for someone who...in the end is pretty much an invader? Someone whom he didn't know much about, or his species? Someone who was a member of a species whose unknown factors could bring about a lot of problems? He had no idea what they were truly capable of. His mind was having a hard time wrapping itself around the concept of chalk being alive.

And besides, he could inflict pain on Snap without causing a lot of damage. A little tug on the chain wouldn't do much. It'll hurt, but it won't increase the damage that much, not if he was careful about it. And somehow, someway, he would find the weakness of these chalk creatures. He will find their achilles heel. Once he did, he could exploit that. He could use it against them if need be. He could help others prepare, if it ever came to that. With an unknown factor like these chalk creatures, methods of control were required. And once he found one for the chalk creatures, he would feel safer.

He glanced up at the clock. It was almost time to go speak to Snap again. He did say that would come back within an hour or two to speak more to him. It was a little late by this point and he was getting a little tired. But he didn't want to push off this talk until tomorrow. There was a reason he wanted to speak to Snap this late. He assumed he would be tired right now, too, and when the mind is tired, it is harder to think straight. Maybe Snap will be more cooperative when tired. It would be harder for him to come up with more of his elaborate lies when he's sleepy.

Although it wasn't time yet, he decided to head up now. Being early wouldn't hurt, plus the chalk creature would be expecting him around this time. As he turned off the television and headed towards the room he locked Snap in, he replayed in his head what he was going to do. Regardless of his previous reservations against it, he felt that using pain was the motivator, at least for now, was his best shot. He needed to get information from him fast before he dehydrated to death. He didn't want to end up with a dead body on his hands, even if that body belonged to a chalk creature.

He thought about also using the pain to 'domesticate' Snap, in a sense. If he could make him completely obedient to him, that would be great. A step in the right direction. If he could manage to tame Snap, to domesticate him to where he could theoretically be a pet, that did provide a tinge of hope that these chalk creatures could be dealt with without killing them. It was always nice to avoid barbaric measures whenever possible. But if Snap doesn't provide him with useful information, if he doesn't tell him anything that he could use to find a means of control, then he really did only have one choice after that. It was something he kind of hoped he didn't have to resort to, but if it came to that, then he would go with it.

He would find a way to destroy these chalk creatures. If methods of control can't be found, then there was just that solution. It was either control them or kill them. Killing was extreme and Wilter hoped he didn't have to go that way. Yet he understood that if he couldn't control them, then killing them was the sensible solution. After all, he had no idea what these creatures were capable of.

He would have time to figure things out. He'll speak with Snap for a while before heading off to bed. He'll sleep on the information given to him and decide the next course of action. He hoped that this night turns out to be eventful and informative. He saw Snap's door coming up. He paused for a moment, his mind again replaying what he was going to do. Then he proceeded to the room.

sss

Snap was curled up in a ball on the ground. He had been trying to get to sleep, hoping that the dreamworld would temporarily take away the pain he was feeling. But it was no use. There was no way he could sleep. Not like this. The pain in his arm was still strong as ever, the pain never dulling all that much. The constant ache spread through his arm, tormenting him so much that even sleep was deprived from him.

He wished that Mr. Wilter would have shown him some kindness and removed this cuff. He couldn't stand it. He needed it off of him. The pain sometimes got worse. Sometimes a shockwave of agony would spread through his arm. A few times he'd cry out in distress, the pain in his arm tormenting him so much. There had to be a way to get this thing off...yet he knew what would happen if he tried to remove it himself. His mind shuddered when he recalled how he yanked on the chain himself. That was a scarring experience and he was not going to allow himself to make such an awful mistake again.

He heard the door open up. He lifted up his head and looked over. As Mr. Wilter shut the door and began to head towards him, Snap had some thoughts move through his mind. He wondered if it really had been two hours or however long Wilter said. He hadn't really been paying attention to the itme, not like he could. He wondered what Mr. Wilter was going to do to him this time. As Mr. Wilter got close, Snap cringed a little, half expecting him to hurt him again.

"Hello, Snap." Mr. Wilter greeted.

Snap pushed himself up on his heads. He looked up at Wilter with a pain filled expression, wincing at the pain in his left arm. "P-Please take this off me..." He pleaded with Mr. Wilter. "I know y-you said that it could c-c-cause more damage...but please...r-remove it...Please..."

Mr. Wilter walked until he was a few feet in front of Snap. He stared down at him, his eyes a little cold. "You...really want the cuff off?"

Snap nodded his head feverishly. "Yeah...please..." He shut his eyes, tears strolling down his cheeks. "I-It hurts so mu-much...please..."

For a few moments, Mr. Wilter was silent. He stared at Snap, his eyes trailing along his arm, focusing on where the cuff cut into his limb. Then he looked down at Snap's face, noting the tears moving down them. Snap hoped that Mr. Wilter would listen to reason. He hoped that Mr. Wilter would see just how sincere he was being, how much pain he was in, and be merciful on him.

"...okay...I'll remove it." Mr. Wilter started to say. Snap's eyes brightened up at this. "Only if you give me the information I want." Snap's face faltered at this, his eyes widening a tad. This guy was seriously going to force him into an interview right now? "I'll ask you a few questions...you answer truthfully... and then maybe I'll remove the cuff."

Snap struggled up to his feet. He stared at Mr. Wilter in shock. He couldn't believe that he was going to force him to speak while he was in so much pain. Snap wasn't sure if he could think straight enough to answer any in depth questions. He whimpered softly as he looked down at his arm. Though there wasn't a lot of blood, he could see a little bruising now, and he knew that, sooner or later, it was going to get infected. Not from the metal, thankfully, but from his own clothes. The longer the cuff stayed in, the more serious the wound would get. Why couldn't Mr. Wilter see that? Or did he know and he was choosing to ignore it?

"Re-Remove the c-cuff..then I'll talk..." Snap offered, stammering his words painfully. "I-I promise I'll talk if you...get this thing out of my arm.."

Mr. Wilter cocked an eyebrow. "Or you'll use that chance to escape. Sorry Snap, but it's questions first. Plus I still wish to tame you. So I'll be doing that before I take the cuff off."

Snap's eyes widened at this. "B-But...please.." His cheeks glistened with tears. "D-Don't do this to me... I'm a per-person..not a pe-pet... Please...let me go. I beg of you..."

"If you didn't want to get caught, you should have stayed in your own world." Mr. Wilter said coldly. Snap looked at him in fear. He watched as the man walked over to the metal bar on the wall. His heart skipped a beat when he saw him grab the chain. It took him only seconds to know what was going to happen.

"If you think I'll go easy on you, think again, Snap. You aren't human." Mr. Wilter said, his hand gripping the chain tighter. Snap's heart raced as he saw the man's arm flex, threatening to pull. "You're just some chalk creature that invaded or world." Still holding onto the chain, the man lowered himself and grabbed Snap's chin. "I intend to get the truth from you, one way or another."

Snap jerked his head away, more tears of pain flowing down his face. "N-No...please... Y-You've go to u-understand..I..."

Mr. Wilter interrupted him. "I'll understand more if you answer my questions, filthy little chalk thing..."

Snap felt his heart racing. He had hoped that he could convince Mr. Wilter to take the cuff off of him to alleviate some of the pain. As he was now, his mind was so clouded with pain, he didn't think he could effectively lie or not. Despite saying he would talk to him, he had no intentions on speaking the truth, or at least nothing about how to get into ChalkZone. As much pain as he was in right now, as much as he didn't want to die, he couldn't risk allowing a new threat into ChalkZone. The secret of how to get into ChalkZone would die with him if he had to.

But with the pain he was feeling, he had no idea if he could pull this off or not. Mr. Wilter might cause him so much pain that he would accidentally slip out the truth, and in that case, he would have to either 'correct himself' in a manner that did not sound suspicious to Wilter, or he would have to hope that Wilter thinks he's too crazy and tries for another answer. He would be able to avoid it all together if he is able to concentrate more...but with this cuff in his arm, it won't be easy.

He wanted to try to argue more with this guy. He wanted to try harder to convince him to remove the cuff. The horrible pain spread through his arm, making it hard for him to concentrate. The look on Wilter's face told him enough. There was no way that he was going to remove the cuff, not until he got what he wanted. That hard expression, those narrowed eyes, it made Snap shiver, and he knew he had no choice but to abide by what he said. It looked as if Mr. Wilter was willing to do anything to get him to talk. He even freely admitted that he wasn't going to go easy on him. Without Rudy or Penny and chained to this wall, Snap had little to no defenses left. His only options were talk or die, either by Mr. Wilter's hands, accident or not, or through starvation and dehydration.

And he wasn't interested in dying right now.

Snap gave a soft sigh and lowered his head submissively. "All right then..." He looked up at Mr. Wilter. "Wh-What do you w-want to know...?"

Mr. Wilter stared down at Snap. He positioned himself, lowering to the ground until he sat right in front of Snap. He was positioned in a way that he could easily grab the chain if he wanted to. Snap gave a shudder as Mr. Wilter's eyes narrowed, the glint in his eyes showing. The eyes of a cold, calculating person... This was not something he expected to see from Mr. Wilter. He turned his head to the side to avoid the look, but he remained alert as best as he can. Unable to ignore the pain in his arm, he winced a few times.

Mr. Wilter said, "There are a few questions I'd like to ask of you. I want you to answer them to the best of your ability. After you answered them, I might consider getting the cuff off of you."

"Mi-Might?!" Snap cried, widening his eyes. He shook his head. "N-No...please not m-might... I thought you were g-g-going to take it off me if I..."

Mr. Wilter smirked somewhat coldly. "Well, Snap. I might change my mind. As I said, I might want you as my...pet." Snap looked at him, horrified. "But even if I don't, I might still need you later on. And you're hurt and removing the cuff might cause more damage."

"Th-That's because you put this d-damn thing in m-m-me..." Snap said, using a tone more bitter than he meant it to sound. He cringed back when Mr. Wilter growled softly at him. When Mr. Wilter raised his hand, thinking he was going to be struck, Snap put his hands out in front of him to shield himself. "No please!"

Mr. Wilter's expression softened up a little. "Relax. I wasn't going to hit you." His blue eyes settled on the cuff. For a moment, Snap thought he saw a flash of regret in those steely eyes of his. "And yes, it is true that I put the cuff in there. I didn't know it would hurt you this badly. But I can't take it out without risking more damage. Chalk or not, I don't want a dead body in my house."

"C-Can't you please remove it?" Snap asked in a soft voice. "Y-Y-You can use my c-c-cape and m-mask to stop the blee-bleeding and..."

Mr. Wilter slammed his hand into the ground, shocking Snap and causing him to move back quickly. Mr. Wilter was looking a little peeved. Snap had a feeling of why he was feeling this way, and it was confirmed in seconds. "No! Answer my fucking questions and then I'll consider treating you! The longer this goes on, the worse your wound will get, Snap! So if you want to feel any alleviation at all, answer my questions!"

Snap cringed back, shaking. Mr. Wilter had a lot of anger and venom in that sentence. He wondered what drove Mr. Wilter to do this. Was it paranoia? Did someone put him up to it? Was it vengeance? Was it all three? Was it something else? He knows this is not how Mr. Wilter usually acts, and seeing him like this was terrifying. If he could figure out the reason, he could try to pacify him, quell whatever anger, fear, and hate might be dwelling inside this man's mind right now.

Snap was amazed at how well he was thinking right now. The pain in his arm wasn't going away, constant and throbbing, yet he still managed to be aware enough and in control enough to carry a conversation with Mr. Wilter without completely breaking down. He wondered if it was, ironically, the fear. His mind was not focused as much on the pain as it was on his fear of Mr. Wilter. The saying 'scare them straight' might, in a small way, sort of apply here. Perhaps the fear he was feeling was giving his mind the boost it needed to think straight for this situation.

"O-Okay...g-g-o ahead..." Snap said, his voice pained. "A-Ask m-m-me..."

Mr. Wilter opened his mouth to speak, but then he paused. He leaned back and tapped his finger against his chin, his mind filled with contemplation. It looked as though he had no questions prepared, but Snap had a feeling he did and he was doing this just to prolong the tension. Snap waited several moments for Mr. Wilter to speak up. He remained quiet, afraid of what might happen if he interrupted Mr. Wilter.

Then Mr. Wilter looked back at him. He cleared his throat and then began to speak, making his first question quite clear.

"What are you?" Mr. Wilter asked.

Snap didn't waste time in answering. "I-I-I'm a z-z-zoner... As you already g-guessed, I a-a-am made of chalk."

"How are you alive if you are made of chalk?" That was Mr. Wilter's next question.

Snap had to pause for a moment on this one. He had to try his best to word his answers carefully as he did not want to accidentally invoke Mr. Wilter asking a more dangerous question. He wanted to avoid him asking the dreaded question 'how do you get into ChalkZone', because he wasn't sure how well he could cover that up. It would be difficult to just say 'I don't know', as him being in the real world meant there was a way, and he was certain Mr. Wilter would try to force him to answer.

When Mr. Wilter started to look a little angry at his lack of a response, Snap quickly said, "Ch-chalkboard... Anything d-d-drawn on the ch-chalkboard and e-erased becomes r-real in ChalkZone." Snap immediately regretted saying that when Mr. Wilter had a twinkle in his eye. "I-I..."

"So..that's how it works." Mr. Wilter said, nodding his head in understanding. "You really are a living drawing. Hmm...I had no idea that chalkboard were that...powerful." He furrowed his eyes as he seemed to let this information sink in. "That...could definitely prove to be a problem..." After a second, he added, "...or a solution..."

Snap shook his head. "N-N-No..please..y-you can't..." Mr. Wilter shot him a look. Snap froze, faltering for a bit. He then managed to get himself to continue. "Please..you have to understand... We z-zoners..we a-a-aren't going to hurt anybody in the r-real world..."

"Real world?" Mr. Wilter cut him off. "You mean where you are now?" Snap nodded his head. "And you...zoners... You know about the real world?"

Snap nodded his head a second time. "Y-Yeah..we do..." Noticing Mr. Wilter's glare, he quickly added, "B-But we don't have plans of i-invasion.. We like our h-home... I-It's a n-n-nice and colorful place. We have n-no reason to invade the r-r-real world."

"I see." Mr. Wilter said. Judging from the sound of his voice, Snap couldn't tell if he believed him or not. The man stared at him as he was thinking of his next question. It didn't take him too long. "Can you eat or drink anything in the real world? I suspect you can't, but I'd like to get a confirmation from you."

Snap shook his head. "N-No we can't.. Real world f-f-food would make us sick...and real world w-water would kill us..."

Snap realized what a horrible mistake it was to mention that when he saw the man's eyes twinkle again. A small smile appeared on his face, causing Snap to shudder. He had just exposed a major weakness of ChalkZone and the zoners, or at least confirmed it as Mr. Wilter admitted he had his suspicions about it. Now Mr. Wilter had knowledge of a way to make any zoner do whatever he wanted, if he should come in contact with them. Unless a zoner was particularly suicidal, the use of real world water would be profoundly effective.

Snap wanted to kick himself for revealing that bit of information. If he weren't in so much pain right now, he'd do exactly that. He should have been more careful with what he said. He could have just said that they couldn't get any nutrients from real world stuff, and it would have been satisfying enough. But no, he just had to say that real world water would kill them. He had given Mr. Wilter, a potential enemy, knowledge of how to kill a zoner quite efficiently. He shuddered as he thought of how the man could use that knowledge against him in particular. Would he resort to real world water to interrogate him further?

"Real world water... Looks like that is a powerful weapon that can be used against you... Thanks for that bit of information, Snap." Mr. Wilter said in a calm voice. "I'm sure that will come in handy. Now..for my final question, at least for now..." Mr. Wilter interlocked his fingers together and he leaned forward, staring intently at Snap. "How does one...access ChalkZone...?"

Snap gulped hard at this question. It was the dreaded question, the one that he hoped he wouldn't answer. He felt his heart beating faster now. What was he going to say? He wanted to lie. He had a thought in mind earlier of what he would say to this. But he had forgotten all about it. He could only stare at Mr. Wilter as his mind swirled with thoughts. His breathing quickened, causing Mr. Wilter to raise an eyebrow.

"Are you going to answer my question or not?" Mr. Wilter asked. Snap looked left and right, the look of fear in his eyes slowly intensifying. Mr. Wilter narrowed his eyes and growled, "Answer the question, Snap...or else."

"I-I-I...you see..." Snap struggled to find something to say. If he let it slip about the magic chalk, then just what would Mr. Wilter do with that information? He'd try to get into ChalkZone...he couldn't do that... Desperate to spit out an answer, he said, "Th-There is n-no.."

"Don't fucking lie to me, filthy zoner!" Mr. Wilter snapped. He grabbed onto the chain, much to Snap's horror. "I am not going to be made the fool again!"

With that, Mr. Wilter yanked on the chain as hard as he could. Snap let out a bloodcurdling scream as pain erupted from his arm. He was pulled forward, hitting his chin against the hard ground, scraping it. He hardly paid attention to this as a torrent of pain flashed through his left arm. Then Mr. Wilter pulled it again, dragging him to the side. The pain intensified as the seconds passed, making it harder and harder for Snap to bear it.

Tears of pain streamed down his face. He tried to grab onto his arm, but it hurt so badly now, it was tender to the touch. Just lightly putting his hands on it was enough to make him recoil in agony. He looked up at Mr. Wilter with wide pleading eyes. The man gave him no look of sympathy and he was yanked a third time. Another scream of pain filled the room and now Snap laid on the ground. His body shook and wracked in pain. His stomach pressed against the cold, unforgiving floor and he sobbed hard.

"P-Please..s-stop..." Snap begged, his voice laced in agony.

"Stop your sniveling and answer my question, zoner!" Mr. Wilter growled at him.

Snap's mind reeled from the pain inflicted on him. Another yank from Mr. Wilter tore his thoughts away from him, replaced only with numbness and the fight or flight response. His heart pounding against his chest, he began to mindlessly fight back. He pulled away from the chains, writhing wildly on the ground. His eyes, big and wild, looked around, desperately trying to find a way to get out. He continued to writhe on the ground, pulling away from the chain, pain temporarily blinding him. His loud screams of pain bounced off the walls of the room.

Mr. Wilter tried to hold him still. He grabbed onto the zoner and held him down. Snap, so desperate now to get away, the pain overriding any rational thought, defended himself by biting onto Mr. Wilter's arm. The man let out a shout of pain. If Snap were thinking straight, he'd realize that this act may have landed him in deep trouble. But right now, he wasn't thinking of that. He kept biting on the arm as hard as he could, letting out screams of pain and whimpers of fear.

Mr. Wilter managed to pull his arm away. He looked at the damage and he snarled down at Snap. "Why you little chalk beast..."

In a split second, Mr. Wilter, out of blind anger, struck Snap, slamming his foot against his stomach. Snap was sent flying backwards. The chain tightened, pulling on his arm. Snap's eyes widened and he let out another bloodcurdling scream, tears streaming down his face. Intense pain shot up his arm, more so than it did before. Unimaginable pain swept through his body as he crashed into the ground.

He laid on the ground, whimpering and crying from the pain. He didn't bother looking at Mr. Wilter. He just cried. He tried to cradle his damaged arm, but it hurt too badly. He looked at it and he was horrifed to see that the injury now looked worse, with more blood flow apparent. The pain got worse, reaching levels that he found unbearable.

Then, after a few seconds, darkness began to descend upon him, and he passed out from the pain.


	4. Early Warning

Rudy sat quietly at the table. He stared down at the bowl of cereal sitting before him. He did eat a few bites, slowly, almost hesitantly. He couldn't stop thinking of what happened the other day. Getting to sleep at night was very hard. It was hard for him to sleep knowing that Snap might be in trouble. He had stayed awake for hours, unable to shut his eyes. And when he finally did get to sleep...

He shuddered as he thought about the horrible nightmare that plagued him. Not long after he had drifted off, he was in the grips of a bad dream. In said dream, he was running along what appeared to be a distorted version of his home street. Everything was black and red, and he saw Snap. He looked so frightened and scared... And then there was some large hand behind him. Snap had called out for him, reached out for him, and Rudy was unable to reach him before the hand just grabbed him.

Rudy had run after him, crying out his name. The hand just dragged Snap way. The panicked zoner had tried to escape, scraping his hands along the ground. But it was useless. And before long, Snap was yanked back towards what looked like a tall, warped house. The house just...swallowed him whole, and Rudy could hear the crunching sound as Snap's bones were broken into pieces. Rudy had fallen onto his knees, staring in absolute disbelief. Then he howled in anguish before collapsing on the ground in a sobbing heap.

That was when he woke up. As he opened up his eyes, he could feel tears leaking out. He could feel that his pillow was drenched in his tears and mucous. He sat up in his bed and looked around. He took in a few quick breaths, trying to calm himself down. It was just a bad dream...it was just a bad dream. He was so relieved...but still so frightened. That was a horrible dream. He hoped with all his might that Snap wasn't in danger, that Penny was right and that he was just hunkered down somewhere. Yeah, they'd go find him later today and he'll be there, waiting for him.

He hadn't told his parents about the nightmare, and he tried his best to hide his negativity. He wasn't sure what he could say to them. He was too distraught to really think of any kind of clever lie. His mind was so muddled with thoughts of what happened the other night that he just couldn't really focus. Luckily, he had been able to keep up a pretty good act so far...but he had a feeling his luck would run out soon. He could only hope that, once one of his parents says something, he would be able to think of a convincing lie.

He thought back to the dream. Such a twisted and sick dream...but as he took another bite of his cereal, he began to wonder if it was trying to tell him something. He wasn't one to believe too much in prophetic dreams, but he couldn't deny the inspiration dreams can give, and what happened in the dream, despite how messed up and exaggerated it was, like the giant hand, something like that could have happened. He hoped something like that didn't happen, but he couldn't just deny the possibility just to make himself feel better. That would not only be wrong, but dangerous. What if Snap was in that kind of danger?

What if Snap was...kidnapped? That was a thought that crossed his mind before. And now the dream was making him bring that idea back to the forefront of his thoughts. There was a possibility that Snap had been kidnapped and that he might be somewhere in the neighborhood. He had little to go on and he couldn't run around accusing people of anything. And it wasn't like the dream was a reliable source. Even if he could recognize the street names in the dream itself, that didn't mean that was exactly where Snap was. They would need to investigate.

Rudy's first thought was to search down the street they trick-or-treated on. That would be a good place to start. It would help if he knew exactly when Snap vanished, but he hadn't heard a peep out of him since they started walking back. It could be anywhere on that street he vanished, or even on the next street. That was a lot of places for him and Penny to look. He hoped that they would be able to comb through these areas and find clues in time to save Snap, if he were in any kind of danger.

He thought about that bush they passed by before. He knew it had enough space for someone to climb into. Perhaps that was a point where Snap could have vanished. It would have been strange, though, that the potential kidnapper would use this bush and not make any noises. Snap couldn't even get in there without shaking the needles a little. Rudy decided that the bushes weren't a likely spot for Snap to get lost in or for a kidnapper to use as his striking point. So that did cross one thing off the list..but there were still other possibilities to consider.

He recalled that the time that he and his friends headed back to his place was during the tail end of the trick-or-treating. It was still going on, but there were so few people out. The street they were on, both on his own home street and the one next to it, was largely devoid of people, at least compared to the start of it all. Most people would be indoors, watching television or hanging out with friends, having fun. They wouldn't be staring out the window so much.

It would have been a perfect time to strike...

What Rudy still couldn't understand is..how did the kidnapper, if there was one, get to Snap without him and Penny noticing? He tried to think of possibilities, such as silent walking, but..no that didn't make sense. Despite the cover of darkness, despite there not being a lot of people, if a man or woman were walking up to a group of children, someone was bound to notice. And they would have heard the person's footsteps as they fled.

Perhaps he should bring the idea up to Penny. She might have an idea. She was always good at coming up with theories and ideas. He could explain his thoughts to her and see what she says. She should be here soon. She promised she'd be over after breakfast. He guessed she'd be here in a few minutes. Knowing that his friend would be here shortly, Rudy started to eat a little more quickly so he could finish up breakfast in time.

He took notice of his mom walking in. She looked down at him, a concerned expression on her face. He stared at her, his mouth full of food. Then he slowly swallowed, not taking her eyes off of her. Why was she looking at him like this? Had he not been as convincing as he thought?

"Is something wrong, dear?" Mrs. Tabootie asked.

Rudy tried hard not to flinch at this. So his acting hadn't been fool proof. His parents, or at least his mom, had noticed something off about him. What was he going to tell her in response? There she was, waiting for a reply. He couldn't just keep quiet, or she would get even more worried. His mind raced with thoughts as he tried to think of something to tell her that wouldn't sound too worrying. There was only one thing he could think of, and he hoped that she would just leave it at that.

"I just..had a bad dream." Rudy said. He didn't want to mention the dream, but it was the only thing he could think of to say without it being too serious. After all, bad dreams were just bad dreams. "That's all."

His mother looked at him. She still looked worried, but she did have a relieved expression on her face. She smiled at him gently and walked closer to him. "Well if that's all it was...I'm glad to hear that you're okay. You seemed so pale when you came out of bed, and you haven't eaten too much. I thought you had fallen ill." As if to convince herself, his mom put the back of her hand on his forehead. "No, you feel fine."

Rudy gently pushed his mother's hand away. "Yeah, I'm fine." He took a few more bites of his cereal. "Hey, is Penny here yet?"

Mrs. Tabootie shook her head. "Sorry, Rudy. She's not here, but I imagine she will be very soon." She paused for a moment. "Just..where are you two going again?"

Rudy said, "We're just going for a walk down the street. It's such a nice day out."

Mrs. Tabootie cocked an eyebrow. "Rudy, there's a chilly wind."

Rudy realized he hadn't really been paying attention to the weather. He turned his head to look out the window. He took notice of what his mom was talking about. There was a wind blowing, swaying the trees a little. It didn't appear to be a strong wind, at least. But his mom did say it was chilly. He probably should have looked outside before he told his mom about how 'nice' it was outside. It wasn't the worst weather, but a cold wind constantly blowing isn't exactly what he felt qualified as 'nice weather'. He made a mental note to himself to put on his jacket before they headed out.

His mind drifted to Snap. He hoped that, if Snap were outside, he found some kind of shelter from the weather. He wasn't sure of all the places he could go, but he was certain there was at least one place nearby that would have enabled him to hide from the strong wind, and rain, too, if there was going to be any. If someone captured him, he hoped that person at least had the decency of keeping Snap indoors during bad weather, and not just keep him tied up outside and exposed. On the one hand, that would make him easier to find. But on the other, it meant that Snap was exposed to the elements, and that wasn't a good thing in the real world.

Realizing that he hadn't said anything more to his mother, and seeing that she was waiting for some kind of reply, Rudy snapped himself out of his thoughts. He looked at her and smiled the best he could. He quickly said, "It's nice enough I mean. No rain."

His mother stared at him, then slowly nodded her head. "Well take an umbrella at least."

Rudy felt a clench in his heart. "Wh-Why?"

"I don't see what the big deal is. You might not even need it." His mother replied as she headed towards the sink to do the dishes. "The weather channel called for a potential rainstorm today. It's not supposed to start until around noon, but you know how inaccurate these weather forecasts can be."

Rudy stared at her blankly, his mind numb. He forced himself to answer her. "Yeah..." After a few more seconds, he added, "I'll make sure to bring an umbrella then."

"Good." Mrs. Tabootie said, smiling gently at her son. "If Penny forgot to bring hers, you can take the spare and let her use it. Just make sure to bring it back when you two are done walking."

"Okay, mom." Rudy said before falling silent, staring at his cereal bowl.

Rain...of all the things...why did it have to be rain? The horrible thought weighed down heavily on his mind. He could feel his blood chilling from the terrible realization that it might rain while they're out there. If Snap were caught in the rain...he would die. As Penny said, he was a smart zoner, but if he was too slow, if the rain came too fast, if the kidnapper left him outside or a not-so-well insulated area..and the rain hit him...

He had seen that happened what a zoner was dissolved. He still had that horrible image of what happened to Howy when Reggie's dog licked him. It was a bone chilling sight, and what made it worse is that Howy could still talk for a while. The way he called out in shock and terror, the way he slowly dissolved like that, and then into nothingness... Even though he turned out to be alive in the end, the memory of that still haunted him. And knowing that it could be Snap's fate...

Rudy tried not to think about it. He tried not to let the images of a dissolving Snap enter his mind. He tried to focus on finding him, because that's all he could do. He could worry all he wanted to, but that was not going to solve anything. It wasn't going to help him find Snap. He had to assume Snap was still alive and he had to try to find him. He couldn't just sit here and do nothing, not like he and Penny planned on that anyway. As soon as she got here, they were going to go look for their friend.

As soon as Rudy finished his cereal, he heard a knock on the door. He knew instantly who it was. He got up from his seat quickly, nearly knocking over his bowl. He rushed over to the door to greet Penny. But his dad was already there. Rudy stumbled and skidded to a stop before he rammed into his father. He watched as his dad opened up the door, and just like he thought, there was Penny standing there, giving a smile to his dad.

"Hello there, Penny." Mr. Tabootie greeted the girl, putting on a big smile.

"Hello, Mr. Tabootie." Penny replied. "Is Rudy available?"

Mr. Tabootie nodded his head. "He sure is. He's been expecting you. Hey Rudy..." The man turned around to find Rudy, only to see he was standing right behind him. His dad looked a little surprised at first, but quickly settled down. "Oh! There you are!" He waved his hand towards Penny. "Penny's here to see you."

Rudy nodded his head. He would have said he already knew that, but he decided not to. He gave a smile to Penny and gestured her to come in. She did so, wiping her feet on the carpet before she went further into the house. Rudy felt some sense of comfort knowing that Penny was here now. It meant that they would soon be starting to look for Snap. And the sooner they did that, the sooner they could be reunited with him, provided that nothing serious happened.

Before they headed out, thoug, he wanted to speak to Penny in private. Discussing about Snap would not be a good idea out in the open, since they could mention things about ChalkZone and someone might overhear them. Best to head into his bedroom and speak there first, and also come up with a plan of action there before they haded out. It was better to at least have some kind of plan and not just walk out on the streets with no idea what they were going to do.

He and Penny headed up into his bedroom. Once they were in, he shut the door behind him to make sure that his parents didn't overhear them. His parents generally respected his privacy, so they weren't going to barge into his room, usually anyway. He then moved towards the window sill, his favorite place to sit down with Penny and chat. It also provided a good view of outside, enabling him and his friend to see what it was like outside. So far, it only seemed windy, but he thought he noticed some dark clouds in the horizon. Kinda hard to tell with all the trees and buildings, but there might be a chance of rain after all.

As he and Penny settled next to each other on the window sill, Rudy cleared his throat and began to speak. "Penny, I need to talk to you about something." Penny looked over at Rudy, wearing a confused expression. He quickly added, "It's about Snap."

Penny nodded her head. "Go on."

Rudy paused for a moment. He wasn't entirely comfortable talking about his dream with her. It was possible they could start this search without bringing it up. But in order for him to properly convey what he was trying to ask of her, he would need to tell her about it. No matter how unnerving it was to think about, he needed to tell her. He couldn't just keep this a secret. Besides, he had to tell someone about this dream. It was so horrifying... And Penny was the only person he could really talk to in regards to ChalkZone.

"I had a bad dream last night." Rudy started to say. He looked to Penny. She gave him an understanding expression and used a wave of her hand to signal for him to continue. "In the dream, I was...trying to get Snap and he was being chased by this large hand..." Penny's eyes widened at this. "I tried to save him, but the hand grabbed him and it dragged him off to some house... and there was some crunching sounds..it was horrible..." Rudy shuddered at the thought. "I woke up after that."

Penny had her hand to her mouth, looking at Rudy in horror. "That was some bad dream..."

"Yeah it was..." Rudy said, recalling the nightmare in detail. "It was horrible."

Penny reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. She looked at him sympathetically. "At least it was only a dream..." She paused for a moment. Her expression shifted to confusion. "Why did you want to talk to me about that?"

"Because, Penny, I think there's a chance that...it could be what happened to Snap." Rudy replied.

Penny stared at him blankly. "Rudy, I don't think giant hands are logical in the real world. Maybe in ChalkZone..." She raised her hands up and gestured with them to indicate everything around them. "But..." She shook her head. "..not in the real world."

"I didn't mean literally." Rudy said. He felt a little embarrassed that he wasn't being clear enough with her. "I meant that...he was captured." Penny's expression changed back to worry. Rudy lowered his gaze towards the ground. "I mean...someone might have grabbed Snap and dragged him away. They could have silenced him so he couldn't scream, and they could have taken him to some house." He looked back at Penny. "He might be in one of the neighbors' houses here."

Penny bit her lip. "It does...seem possible that someone grabbed him.. But..." She sighed. "I'm just not sure exactly when they would have had a chance." She turned her gaze down as her mind filled with thoughts. "It would be hard to sneak up behind someone and just grab them without anyone noticing. Though there wasn't a lot of people out when we went back, someone would have noticed a person coming up to us to take Snap. They would have said something."

Rudy nodded. Those were more or less the same thoughts he was thinking earlier. It would have been hard..no, impossible..for someone to sneak up behind them and just grab Snap like that. There would have been too much noise, or at least enough to give the person away. Someone would have noticed it. They would have seen the person's shadow at least casting over them as the kidnapper approached. It didn't seem possible that a kidnapper was involved. It would have required an insane amount of effort to avoid getting caught, and that would have been time consuming.

But he wasn't about to throw this idea out of the window. Not yet. There was still a chance that a kidnapper was involved in this. There might have been a way they could have taken Snap without them noticing. Something that was silent. Something that they wouldn't have noticed until it was too late. But what? He had tried to think of ideas, yet his mind would only draw a blank. He hoped that Penny would have some kind of clue.

"Do you know of any way a kidnapper could grab Snap and flee without us hearing?" Rudy asked. "Let's think for a moment. Let's say that it did happen. How would the kidnapper go about it without drawing attention to himself or herself?"

Penny narrowed her eyes and rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "I can't really think of anything, except..." Suddenly her eyes snapped wide open. She stared at Rudy and he could see the realization glowing in her eyes. "Rudy! I just remembered!"

"What?" Rudy asked anxiously.

"Do you remember when Snap was flung into the real world for the first time?" Penny asked. Rudy nodded his head swiftly. How could he possibly forget that? "Well I took him outside and told him to wait there until I came back. But as soon as I started to run, I could hear him go 'hey what's that' and heard him running off." She went quiet, letting Rudy allow this small bit of information sink in. "I'm certain that something in the real world caught his interest at that time, and he just..bolted off towards it."

Rudy's eyes slowly widened. The realization struck him hard. Snap was a curious zoner, like a little kid...because he was one. He was prone to suddenly wandering off when something caught his eye. Sometimes he did it without thinking about it. He had thought about him wandering off before, but that was just a wild guess. Now..he was certain that may have been what happened. Maybe he did run off...and that's when the kidnapper would have...

"That...that would explain it..." Rudy said in as soft voice.

Penny nodded her head in agreement. "It certainly would. If Snap saw something that caught his attention, he may have walked away from us without telling us. He could have gotten lost, depending on how far he wandered. He's not that familiar with the real world, so I can see that happening."

Rudy nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Me, too."

Penny continued. "He could have tried to look for us, but for how long, I'm not certain."

"And then at some point after he wandered off..." Rudy added, letting the potential pieces of the puzzle start to come together. "He could have been grabbed by someone... He could have went someplace where there weren't a lot of people, somewhere far enough away from us... Snap could have been grabbed without us hearing about it..."

"Then the kidnapper would have silenced him somehow, maybe hit him with a rock, and drag him off." Penny concluded grimly.

The two friends stared at each other. The horrific realization of what may have happened hit them both like a freight train. They still weren't certain if this is what really happened. It was still just a guess. But it was the only plausible theory they could come up with that would account for everything. Why they didn't hear Snap getting grabbed...why Snap would wander off, but then never call out to them when he got lost... Yes, this might have been what happened.

Now that they had an idea of what may have happened to Snap, they next needed to figure out a plan. They would need to perform a search of the area. They would need to do so as quickly as they could and without drawing attention. It would help them if they could think of a point where Snap could have disappeared... But maybe that wouldn't be so hard. Rudy and Penny both knew Snap well. They could simply walk down the two streets and look for something that they knew would catch Snap's eye, and search those areas.

Rudy spoke up after a few moments of silence.

"Let's work out a plan." Rudy said. "And then let's go find him."

Penny nodded her head. "Good idea." She noted the worried look in his eyes. She grabbed onto his hand, squeezing it gently. "We'll find him." Her voice was as reassuring as she could make it sound.

Rudy turned to her and smiled as best as he could. "Yeah...I know we will."

sss

When Snap woke up, he was all alone. He was confused, and tried to remember what happened. For a few moments, he didn't recognize where he was, how he got here, or anything. His mind was just a blur. However, it took just seconds for his mind to be bombarded with memories the moment that pain began to register in his arm. He flinched, tears forming in his eyes, as he glanced down at his arm. His heart pounded at the sight of the metal cuff still cutting mercilessly into his arm, and in that moment, he remembered what happened earlier.

Mr. Wilter had came in to interrogate him. He had forced some information out of him with the promise of getting the cuff out of his arm. Of course that was a lie. He told him what he wanted to know, and the cuff was still in his arm... Oh wait, he said 'maybe'. He forgot about that. And wait... He didn't tell him everything. Now it was coming back to him. Snap recalled how Mr. Wilter tried to get him to tell him about a way into ChalkZone, and he didn't tell him, then...

Snap whimpered as a wave of pain shot up and down his arm. He clutched it, only to cry and let go. His arm hurt so badly.. And the pain had only gotten worse. Mr. Wilter...he had pulled on the chain, making him hurt so much. He had caused some additional damage to his already mangled arm. Why? What did he do to deserve this? Why won't Mr. Wilter remove the cuff? Can't he see it's causing him real pain?

Apparently not. Snap recalled how mercilessly the man had pulled on the chain, irritating his wound on purpose in hopes of making him talk. The pain, it was so bad that he had passed out. He had never been in that much pain before. For now, it had died down a little, but his arm still throbbed in agony. The longer this cuff was in his arm, the more pain it would cause, the more damage would be dealt. He needed to get it off. He needed to, somehow, remove the cuff himself. But how could he accomplish that? And how much additional damage would he cause himself by removing it?

Mr. Wilter, in spite of how crazy he was being, was right about one thing. He couldn't remove the cuff here without causing more damage, and especially not without having the proper tools. There was no chalk medicine here. Snap would have no way of treating the wound for infection. He would have no medication he could take to help with the pain. That was all in ChalkZone. Perhaps...perhaps he should...

Snap shook his head. No, he couldn't do that. He couldn't give away more information regarding ChalkZone. He couldn't betray the other zoners. He was not going to allow Mr. Wilter to get into ChalkZone. As much pain he was in, he would rather be in this pain than let ChalkZone fall in the hands of a clear madman. He would rather rip the cuff of now and stumble through the neighborhood, bleeding, searching for Rudy, than give vital information to Mr. Wilter. He couldn't afford to tell him anything more. He had already made the horrendous mistake of giving away two big pieces of information.

He had told Wilter about the real world water weakness, and he had told him about how ChalkZone worked, with the drawing and erasing... And now that man could use both of those to his advantage. Snap couldn't believe he told him those things. Of all the information he could have slipped out...it had to be those two things. Mr. Wilter might not have access to ChalkZone...but he can still cause a lot of damage.

Knowing that things erased become real in this world, what's to stop this man from drawing something really dangerous to capture zoners? Destroy large sections of the place? What's to stop him from, oh say, drawing a horrific tornado designed to cause as much wreckage as possible? What would prevent him from drawing his own army of loyal zoners to wreak havoc, or try to find him a way into that world, or whatever else would come to mind? Snap wasn't sure if Mr. Wilter had a chalkboard at home. But he certainly did at school, and that was enough to be of alarm.

And the real world water... Mr. Wilter, if he got into ChalkZone, he could use that water to kill zoners, cause destruction himself. He could use it to control the zoners and force them to bend to his whim. He could send people into ChalkZone with a hose to erase everything if he becomes paranoid enough. He could cause the death of many zoners. It doesn't take much water to kill a zoner. Even the biggest and mightiest zoners would fall victim to real world water. It was like acid to them. It burned...it hurt so much..and it caused them to 'melt' in a sense.

Then there was the possibility of Mr. Wilter using the real world water on him. He now knew what kind of damage it would cause him. Though Mr. Wilter said he didn't want to kill him, that didn't mean he wouldn't get a water bottle and spray him with it, cause him more pain. He already showed he was capable of hurting him horrifically. He proved that with the cuff and the interrogation. There was little reason to think that Mr. Wilter wouldn't use real world water as another means of hurting him to get him to talk. Snap shuddered at the thought of the man coming into the bathroom with real world water, ready to interrogate him further...

Snap knew that Mr. Wilter was not going to give up on that information so easily. He wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer. He was going to find a way to make him tell him about magic chalk, the gateway into ChalkZone. There was no way he'd give up just like that. He was going to come in at some point to try to get that information from him. Mr. Wilter was determined to get access to ChalkZone, and Snap had a feeling he was going to do whatever it took to make him talk. Snap just needed to try to stay strong and resist, no matter what happened.

ChalkZone was counting on him. He couldn't let the information slip out. He had to keep Wilter in the dark as much as possible. He had to protect ChalkZone from this threat. Rudy and Penny didn't know... Nobody in ChalkZone knew... Only he did. He was the only one who knew something of this guy's plans. So it was up to him to keep ChalkZone safe from this menace.

As Snap sat in the unfinished bathroom, he took a look around. He looked up at the window. He took notice of how light it was compared to before. He realized that it was morning. He was confused. Had time really went by that fast? He must have been in worse pain than he thought, if he passed out until morning. Though faint, he could hear the sounds of birds chirping, and it caused a pang to rise in his stomach. He wished he could go outside. He wished he could go home. He really wanted to go home...

He felt a growl in his stomach. His throat was a little dry. He smacked his lips a few times, realizing how little saliva there was in his mouth than usual. He was thirstier than he was yesterday. He was starting to get really hungry. Around this time was when he had breakfast. The thought of it made him lick his lips slowly as he imagined going into the Candycane Forest with Blocky and getting something to eat there. Yes, some pancakes and fried eggs and bacon...that all sounded so good right now...

Snap shook his head. He needed to try not to think about food for however long he could. The more he thought about food, the hungrier he'd get. He needed to try to focus on other things. He can't distract himself with wanting food and water, although both are really important, because he could end up feeling worse, perhaps panic... Despite his pain, he needed to stay calm. Panicking would only worsen his condition.

Right now, he needed to try to steer his attention towards trying to find a way out of this mess. He still hadn't figured out how he was going to get past Mr. Wilter. He needed the metal cuff off of him. He was going nowhere with this thing in his arm. But...how would he get Mr. Wilter to take it off of him? It wasn't like he'd just get it off if he'd ask. And he doubted lying to him about the gateway to ChalkZone would work. Knowing that man, he wouldn't let him go until he had gotten into ChalkZone himself. Mr. Wilter would test what he said before letting him go, on the off chance he lied to him. So there goes that potential idea.

Snap struggled up to his feet. His body was a little shaky, and moving his arm even just to get up was horrible. But he managed to get up to his feet. He staggered a little. He looked towards the door. He could hear faint footsteps approaching. He winced, realizing that it was probably Mr. Wilter coming in to interrogate him further. He wondered why, at first, since it should be school now. But then he realized it was the weekend. The realization caused him to gulp and back away.

All of a sudden, a wave of pain struck through his head and his world spun. He fell down to his knees. He put his right hand on his head and stayed there, his eyes shut and teeth clenched in pain. The sudden headache stayed there, gripping his skull for several moments. Then it went away as suddenly as it began. He remained on the ground, stiffened by what had happened. Slowly, he removed his hand and stared at it.

How had that happened? He never experienced something like that before. He never once had a moment where he suddenly got dizzy and a headache at once and so fast... As he sat there on his knees, he realized that the sensation didn't go away completely. He still felt a little off balance. It wasn't horrible. It was faint, but he could still detect it. He rubbed the back of his head, wincing as he recalled the pain that swept through it. The pain was still there too. Dull and achy, but still there. Why was this happening? He didn't feel like this earlier.

Then he realized it. As an uncomfortable feeling started to become noticeable in his chest and stomach, as he noticed the worsened condition of his arm wound, he knew what the problem was. And if he was correct on this, he needed to get help and fast. He knew it was only going to get worse from here.

He was becoming sick...

There was an infection in his arm now. It wasn't from the metal, but from his own clothing. Through the torn pieces of his leotard, he could see some discoloration, some swelling. There was some pus starting to form. The wound was definitely infected and it needed treatment fast. It was already so bad it was starting to wreak havoc on his body. Feeling a slight chill, he realized that he was also starting to form a fever. Right now, he didn't feel bad enough that he needed to lay down, but it was only going to get worse from here.

He lifted up his head as he heard the door start to open up. He shuddered and tried to move back. He accidentally irritated his arm and he let out a cry of pain. He gripped his upper arm, carefully avoiding the cuff cutting into his flesh. He turned his head and watched as the door opened up. His eyes widened as he watched Mr. Wilter walk into the room, shutting the door behind him.

In response, remembering the pain he was put through, Snap started to whimper in fear. He cringed back away from the man as he approached. Snap lowered himself to the ground, taking care to avoid pressing on his damaged left arm. He looked up at Wilter with big, frightened eyes, and continued to whine as the man approached. He silently begged him to leave him alone. He hoped that Mr. Wilter would show him some mercy and not hurt him again. He didn't want to be hurt again...

Soon the man stood in front of him, just a foot away. He stared down at Snap with narrowed, stern eyes. Snap shuddered under those eyes. He tried to turn his head away, but it was heard to tear his eyes from this man. His stare was almost like a vice grip. He couldn't help but keep eye contact with him. Memories of how the man yanked his chain resurfaced even more, with a vengeance. His arm started to ache dully, as if it was remembring how it was yanked around like it was nothing. Snap winced at the painful memory and he hunkered himself down lower against the ground, as if somehow that would keep him safe.

Mr. Wilter hadn't tried anything yet. He just stared at him with that cold expression. Snap felt tears pooling out of his eyes. He continued to let out low whimpers. He scooted himself back a little, managing to get about an inch or two away from the man. His body trembled like a leaf. Then, as the man reached out for him, Snap's eyes widened and he let out a cry of fear. He managed to turn his head away and shut his eyes. He shook harder as he waited for the pain to come. He waited for Mr. Wilter to hurt him again like he had before.

But something else happened. Something he wasn't expecting.

There was a gentle touch on his head. A slight warmth. Snap opened up one eye and looked up at Mr. Wilter cautiously. He could see the man now had something of a softer expression. His eyes were still narrowed, but they weren't as hard as they were just seconds ago. The man had placed his hand on his head, and he was gently stroking it a little. Snap opened up his other eye and he looked up at Mr. Wilter in confusion.

Why was he doing this? Mr. Wilter had already shown how little he cared for him, how much he hated zoners. Why was he being nicer to him? Snap wasn't sure if he should feel reassured, or if he should be terrified. He wanted to scoot away more. He didn't feel entirely comfortable with this man's touch. Was he treating him like a pet now? Yeah...that had to be it. This man must want to treat him like a pet, to mess with his mind. Out of fear and a bit of anger, Snap started to growl at Mr. Wilter.

The man stopped stroking his head, but he kept his hand firmly placed on it. He stared down at Snap for a few moments, listening to him growl defensively. "Relax, Snap. I didn't come here to hurt you." He paused for a moment. He added, "And I'm not here to interrogate you again. Not yet."

Snap slowly stopped growling, but he didn't feel any safer. A part of him, out of desperation, wanted to bite the man's hand. The only thing keeping him from doing that was what happened the last time he tried that. He had bitten Wilter's hand before and it resulted in the man yanking his chain so hard that it caused him to black out. He didn't want to experience that again.

"Then what did you come here for?" Snap asked, his teeth chattering slightly from the fear still gripping his body. He turned his head a little. "G-G-Going to rub it in how I c-c-can't escape...?"

"True...I know you can't escape. And I would remind you of that if you tried to get away. However...that's not why I'm here." Mr. Wilter said. He moved his hand away from Snap and stared down at him with an expression that held the slightest tinge of regret. Not remorse, but regret. There was a difference. "I wanted to apologize for yesterday."

"You what?" Snap asked, raising his head. Did he hear right? "You came to apologize to me?"

Mr. Wilter nodded his head. "I was out of line with pulling the chain like that when you bit me. I had lost my temper, I admit. I hadn't meant to hurt you so bad that it caused you to black out. And for that, I am sorry." The tone of his voice did suggest the man was being honest about feeling some regret for causing him to faint. Still, Snap wasn't going to let his guard down. "I promise I won't pull the chain again during your stay, and I'll try to keep my temper in check."

Snap looked up at Mr. Wilter skeptically. He wasn't entirely sure how much of the man's words he can trust. Mr. Wilter had given him very little reason to trust him. All he had done since he captured him was hurt him and threaten him. Why should he believe him when he said he won't yank the chain again? Or that he'd try to control his temper? Mr. Wilter could be saying this just to lower his guard and try to make him more at ease here. Snap had to stay on his guard because if he got too comfortable, he might accidentally slip out how to get into ChalkZone.

Still, regardless of how uncertain he was, he had to admit that Mr. Wilter being this calm and nice to him was a good change of pace. Even if there wasn't that much kindness and even though this could be an act that'll fall apart soon, it was nice to have Mr. Wilter interact with him that wasn't pain and demanding answers from him. The last thing he needed right now was more pain and fear.

"However, don't think this means I'm going to just let you go. You are still going to remain with me until I get the information I want." Mr. Wilter said, narrowing his eyes. "I need to get into ChalkZone... And I know you know a way inside. I will find a way to get the information from you, Snap, one way or another."

Snap narrowed his eyes. "Well, g-goo-good luck... I'm not t-tell-telling you anything more..." He raised his head up more. He bared his teeth at Mr. Wilter despite his fear. "No way in h-hell am I t-telling you how to get into Ch-ChalkZone..."

Mr. Wilter folded his arms. "I thought you might say that, Snap. I know how stubborn you can be. But don't worry...I think I know what will make you crack under the pressure."

Snap watched curiously, a sense of dread filling his stomach, as Mr. Wilter reached into his pocket. Snap's eyes locked onto it, wondering what the man was going to do. Then, seconds later, Mr. Wilter pulled something small out of his pocket. He held it up into the air, pressed between two fingers. He waved it back and forth in front of Snap, letting him get a nice long look at it. Snap's eyes widened in horror at what he saw.

It was a piece of chalk... Not magic chalk, but despite not being magical, the chalk was still very dangerous in the hands of the wrong person. Mr. Wilter hadn't stated what he'd do outright, but the presence of that chalk told him enough. He looked up at Mr. Wilter, horror spreading across his white face. He shook his head, silently pleading with him not to go through with it.

"Don't worry, I won't try anything right now.." Mr. Wilter said as he raised the chalk into the air. "I am going to save it for the next interrogation." He looked at the chalk in his hand. He smiled and examined it as he turned it around a few times. "I had no idea chalk wielded so much power..."

"P-Please...d-don't do it!" Snap begged him.

Mr. Wilter glanced down at him. "I told you, Snap. I'll do what I have to...in order to obtain that information I need. I don't want to hurt you again like I did last night, so this is a nice alternative, and it's just as effective, don't you think?" He chuckled lightly. "I'm sure you don't want your fellow...zoners...to be in trouble, now do you..?" Snap stared at him with wide eyes. "But...don't worry about it for now." He placed the chalk back in his pocket. "It will be for later, not now..."

Snap couldn't believe it. This man...this insane man...he was going to use the power of creation via chalkboard to make him talk. He was going to draw on the chalkboard something dangerous, something to wreak havoc in his homeworld, all just to make him speak. This...this was such a low blow... He couldn't believe how manipulative this man was being. This was worse than what he did before... He was going to cause pain to countless zoners if he didn't speak. How despicable...

And for what? Why was this man acting this way? Snap still hadn't much of an idea of what caused Mr. Wilter to go nuts like this. He didn't understand just what it was about him and zoners that caused him to behave like this. What had he done to Mr. Wilter to warrant this kind of behavior from him? Snap never tried to hurt him before. He had no intentions on trying to hurt him. He only bit him out of self defense. Mr. Wilter was hurting him and he was getting desperate.. What did this man expect him to do?

He couldn't take it anymore. He had to know why Mr. Wilter was doing this. There had to be a reason. There had to be a motivation behind all of this. He narrowed his eyes at the man and pushed himself up on his undamaged right arm. The man just watched him, not saying a word as Snap sat himself up until he was on one knee.

"Wh-Why...?" Snap asked in a low voice. Mr. Wilter tilted his head. Snap continued, raising his voice a little, "Why are you d-d-doing this? Wh-What made you go cr-cra-crazy like this..? Why...?"

Mr. Wilter stared at him for a few moments. He then turned and started to walk away. Snap watched as Mr. Wilter grabbed the door handle. At first, he thought he was going to be left alone with no answers. But the man paused. He turned his head, staring at Snap with one cold blue eye. His eyes narrowed into slits, and Snap could feel the negative emotion practically simmering off the man's body. He shuddered at this uncomfortable sight.

Mr. Wilter spoke in a cold voice. "You made a fool of me... You caused me to be sent to jail for something that wasn't my fault..."

Snap's eyes widened. Was that what this was? What what what this whole thing was about? Revenge? And what was this man talking about? When did he do anything to cause Mr. Wilter to go to jail? He couldn't think of one time.

Mr. Wilter was finished yet. "I know I saw Rudy and Penny climb out of that chalkboard..." Snap gasped in horror at this. He..he had seen that...? "And I know you are associated with those two... I know you planned on doing that. I know you planned on humiliating me...costing me my reputation... And I plan on making you pay for that."

Snap whimpered softly at this, his body trembling. If revenge was his plan, then his hopes of escape had been reduced. Mr. Wilter might have been lying when he said he would let him go if he got the information he wanted. He might do something worse to him. He couldn't believe Mr. Wilter would blame him for that... He had nothing to do with that... It wasn't his fault he went to jail... Yet here the man was, blaming him for that, taking out his anger on him like this...

Snap turned his head to the side and whimepred, "I-It wasn't m-m-my idea...W-We didn't m-mean to..."

"Don't lie to me, zoner!" Mr. Wilter snarled. "I know you were involved!" Snap fell silent and just watched the man in fear. "And besides...there's another reason I'm doing this. Even if I didn't blame you for that humiliation...there's still reason for me not to trust you...to question you..." He turned the knob and opened up the door. Before he went through the door, he said, "I am terrified of cartoons...and that's what you are essentially...a living cartoon..."

Snap stared at Mr. Wilter in shock. He watched as the man walked out of the unfinished bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Snap let that information sink in. Mr. Wilter..had a phobia of cartoons? Suddenly, his anti-cartoon behavior was making sense. Though Snap wondered if there was more to it than that. There had to be something else in addition to the phobia. Something that he wasn't thinking of.

Suddenly, as he tried to think of what more could have caused Wilter's behavior, Snap felt a tingling in his nose. He tried to hold it back. But he was unable to. Shutting his eyes, he let out a loud sneeze, the force shaking through his body. He wiped his nose. Then seconds later, another tingle, and another sneeze. He took in a few breaths as he wiped his nose a second time, cleaning off the mucuous, and sniffling.

Then there was a pain in his stomach. He grunted in pain and clutched his stomach. An uncomfortable sensation spread through it, making him feel queasy. He hunched himself over, holding himself up on his right arm. He tried to control himself. He tried to ride out the sensation. Yet he was powerless to stop it. He opened his mouth and started to cough. Then he started to gag a little as his stomach lurched. Before he knew it, he vomited, emptying a small portion of his stomach on the ground.

Snap leaned back and rubbed his stomach, groaning softly. He was already getting sicker. He was getting hungrier...thirstier... He had to get out of here... Rudy, Penny... He hoped they were looking for him. He hoped they would find him soon.

"Bucko... Buckette..." Snap said, his voice starting to sound a little raspy. "P-Please...hurry..."


	5. One Step Closer

"See ya, mom! We'll be back later!" Rudy said as he turned the doorknob. "Penny and I are going for a walk!"

From the kitchen, he could hear his mother drying some dishes, the clang of a couple of them coming together. His mother called out, "Okay! Be careful! And have fun!"

Penny stood in front of the door. Rudy was already out of the house. Penny paused and looked back towards the kitchen. "We will, Mrs. Tabootie! Bye!" With that, she shut the door and went up to join Rudy.

Although Rudy put on a smile when he came out of the bedroom, Penny could tell that he was very worried. As soon as they got far enough from the house, Rudy's smile had faded away completely, replaced with a forelorn expression. Penny looked at him sympathetically. She wanted to try to cheer him up, but what could she say? Though she was hopeful that they'd find Snap, she had to admit she had no way of guaranteeing that they'd find him. A lot could have happened out here.

She didn't want to act hopeless, though, and she didn't want to allow herself to become like that either. There was still hope they'd find Snap. She was hoping that they would run into him during their walk to find clues as to what happened. Maybe Snap is hiding somewhere, just waiting for them. Maybe, as they pass by a tree or bush, he'd jump out at them and surprise them. Maybe he'd give them a big hug because he missed them so much. She missed him and she knew Rudy did as well.

But she couldn't ignore the possibility that he was kidnapped. Rudy's bizarre dream, despite some of the illogicalness of it, did make some sense, as Rudy pointed out. Snap would be the kind of person to wander off if something caught his eye. It wasn't that he was stupid or anything, but Snap is just a very curious zoner and stuff in the real world sometimes fascinates him. He might have just left to look at something real quick, being so enthralled he forgot to tell them about it.

Penny knew Snap was smart enough to stay put. So if Snap wandered off and he couldn't find them, he would have waited right where he was until he saw or heard them coming when they realized he was gone. He wouldn't continue wandering around hoping to find something familiar. So the only reason he would have disappeared if he did wander off was if he was captured. That was a possibility, and if the kidnapper silenced him, that would explain why they never heard a cry for help. The kidnapper could have gagged him and dragged him off.

Snap's 2D powers might come in handy, depending on how the person is holding him. If they don't realize he has these powers, then Snap could use them to escape, but only if he was careful. If the kidnapper realizes he has these abilities, they could easily use them against him, like folding him up like a piece of paper, similar to what Terry did to him, or putting him in a sealed room where he could use his powers at all to escape. If Snap tries to use his 2D powers, he had better be careful, or...

Her eyes widened suddenly. As she and Rudy headed down the street they trick-or-treated on last night, a horrible thought crossed her mind. If Snap was kidnapped...then there was a strong possibility that the kidnapper knows about his 2D powers. Snap wouldn't just stay there if he had a chance to get out. If the kidnapper didn't now about his 2D powers, Snap could exploit that and get free, then hide somewhere. But what if Snap was still trapped there? If he was, the kidnapper must now about his powers.

She thought about saying something to Rudy, but she decided to wait. First, they had to get a better idea of what might have happened, even if it's just a tiny detail. They had to look around the neighborhood and see if they could find clues or even Snap himself. If they kept looking around and they still couldn't find Snap, then she'd bring up her thoughts. If her hunch turned out to be right, then she feared what else this person might find out. She hoped that the kidnapper would think Snap was just some sideshow freak, but not everyone is so stupid.

Penny did her best not to think about the possibility of this person knowing about Snap's 2D powers or what they might do with that knowledge. Instead, she focused on doing what she could do at the moment. And that was helping Rudy find clues as to what might have happened. She wouldn't be able to solve anything if she stood around and just pondered what might have been. Maybe something would turn up today that they would find useful.

She and Rudy continued their trek down the sidewalk. Walking down here with Rudy felt a little strange. She thought back to the trick-or-treating, where they were walking together like this, except Snap was with them. She could almost imagine that blue zoner walking up beside them with that big grin on his face... She stiffled back a tear. She hoped that he was okay.

Penny looked left and right as they walked. She noted how some of the Halloween decorations were still out. Some of the neighbors around there didn't bother removing the Halloween decorations until sometime later today. None of them were turned on of course, and some decorations were partially taken down. In a matter of a few hours, the neighborhood was going to be barren again, at least in the sense of no more decorations. Well not until Christmas that is. Looking at the decorations did give Penny an idea.

"Hey, Rudy..." Penny spoke up.

"Yeah?" Rudy asked.

"I think I know what might have distracted Snap." Penny said. Rudy looked at her with widened eyes. He stared at her, wordlessly asking her to continue. "It's just a wild guess, but I think it was a Halloween decoration."

Rudy frowned at her slightly. "Yeah I kind of figured that's what it was. There were a lot of those last night. The question would be which one distracted him."

Penny did feel a little silly. Of course it would have been a Halloween decoration that distracted him. Those were what stood out the most on Halloween night. That was the most obvious thing. But then, as she thought about it more, perhaps they could reduce their search if they did a little filtering. Not all the decorations were that outlandish, and they did only stick to this street and the next one. She deduced Snap must have been captured on one of these two streets; she couldn't honestly see Snap straying to another street. The other side of these two streets, she could see, but not another one.

She realized how lucky they were that a number of people in the neighborhood kept up the decorations, even if some of them had them partially removed. It was still something to work off of. She wasn't going to remember all the decorations herself, and she doubt Rudy would. Having these out, despite being turned off, would be helpful. She could look around and get a mental idea of what it was like at night and try to think which decoration would have caught Snap's attention.

Penny said, "I think our best bet is to go to the houses on this street and on the next that had the most...elaborate decoration."

"You mean like the one Mr. Wilter had out last night?" Rudy asked.

"Exactly." Penny said. "Mr. Wilter's is a great example of what I was talking about. That Halloween decoration he had out last night was beautiful, and it played Halloween music as we passed by. Some colorful decoration like that would have caught Snap's eye..."

"...which would have caused him to wander over, and the kidnapper could have grabbed him while he was distracted..." Rudy finished her sentence, realization washing over his body. His eyes widened and he stared at Penny. This revelation wrapped around his head and the two of them got a clearer picture of what might have went down. "That should limit our search then! Only a couple houses on this street and the next had decorations like that!"

Penny had mixed feelings about that, and she could tell, from the tone of his voice, so did Rudy. Fewer houses did make the work less complicated. It meant they could do some searching and not take that long. Rudy's mom would get suspicious if they stayed out too long, and she had her doubts the neighbors would be happy about a couple of kids looking around their property for too long. But on the other hand, the fact they had fewer places to look meant that once they run out of this places to look, what then? They didn't really have any other leads at the moment of where to look.

But something could come up during their search to help give them more places to look, should they turn up empty. Maybe one of the neighbors had seen something, or maybe something else could have distracted Snap besides the decorations. Like what, she wasn't sure, but she couldn't rule out the possibility. She could only hope their searching around would turn up something. Hopefully something that would give them a bigger clue as to what happened to their friend.

"Yeah!" Penny tried to sound as optimistic as possible. The two of them stopped walking as she took a look around. Her eyes locking onto the house across the street, she said, "Let's try there first! They had something pretty flashy. Maybe Snap went there."

Rudy nodded his head. "I hope we'll be able to find something."

"I'm sure we will, Rudy." Penny wasn't sure herself, but she wanted to sound as hopeful as she could to Rudy. She didn't want to squander his hope. "Maybe, if we don't find anything, we could ask Mr. Wilter if he's seen anything. He might have seen someone suspicious wandering aorund the neighborhood."

"That is a possibility, yeah." Rudy said, nodding his head. "Maybe he could help us find Snap."

Though Penny was open to the idea of asking Mr. Wilter for help, she hoped it didn't come down to it. Mr. Wilter isn't exactly the first person she'd go to for help. He wasn't the friendliest guy around. He wasn't really a bad person. She's certainly met worse. But still... He wasn't someone she'd turn to for help right away. Plus he was usually busy and if they tried asking him for help, he might force them to leave, maybe threaten to give them more homework if they didn't. She wasn't sure if he could actually do that, but she wasn't interested in finding out.

But still, he might prove helpful if they were forced to ask for his assistance, provided that he had seen anything. Penny did not suspect Wilter, so she didn't really regard his house as a vanishing point. Snap could have disappeared around that area, though. Wilter might have seen something there, or heard something. He might be willing to help. For all his jerkiness, Mr. Wilter still wouldn't want to see children get hurt. And if he knew Snap was in trouble, he might be willing to help.

There was a small part of her that almost considered him a suspect, but she quickly pushed those thoughts out of her head. Mr. Wilter wouldn't do something like that. He wouldn't kidnap a child. He might be a jerk, but he wasn't that much of a jerk. A part of her felt somewhat ashamed for almost thinking their own teacher was behind this. She tried not to feel a little too guilty. It wasn't like she outright accused the man of anything. Should they need to talk to him, she hoped that Wilter could provide some insight in catching the real kidnapper.

"Yeah, Mr. Wilter is a lot of things. But completely ignoring the need of a child certainly isn't one of them." Penny said. Her mind ran with thoughts of when Mr. Wilter was genuinely freaked out when Reggie was stuck in the ground, due to magic chalk dust of course, and the time when Mr. Wilter expressed concern about her and Rudy falling down on stage due to Reggie's dog. Say what they could about Wilter, one thing they couldn't say was he was completely heartless. "If our search doesn't turn up anything, we'll go talk to him."

"That sounds like a plan." Rudy said, giving a small smile.

Penny did her best to smile back. "Okay, let's get started."

Rudy and Penny wasted no more time. They knew, with Snap trapped in the real world, there wasn't that much time they could fiddle around with. The sooner they found Snap, the better. Giving each other one more nod of understanding, the two of them headed across the street. As they headed to the sidewalk in front of them, heading towards the house with the partially taken down Halloween decoration, the same thought swept through their minds.

Wherever Snap was, they hoped he was okay.

sss

Snap's body trembled, cold fear gripping him, as Mr. Wilter opened up the door. He could feel his heart pounding against his chest. He knew what time it was. Mr. Wilter had come back to interrogate him, but this time, things were going to be different. The man was not going to try to hurt him again. But what he was about to do was so much worse.

He wished it was just some misunderstanding, that perhaps he had just misheard the man. But when he heard the squeaking sound of something on wheels, and he saw Mr. Wilter push in a large chalkboard, he knew that it had been reality. Snap felt a cold feeling grip his heart as he watched Mr. Wilter push the chalkboard and placed it near the door, which he shut not long after. The chalkboard was positioned too far away for Snap to reach it. He let out a soft whimper when Mr. Wilter pulled out the piece of chalk.

This was it... This was the moment he had dreaded, the moment he knew Wilter had been waiting for. Wilter was going to try to get more information out of him, specifically how to get into ChalkZone, and he was going to threaten his own people to get what he wanted. Snap couldn't stop his fearful shaking. All this fear he was feeling was also irritating his body aches and ever, making him feel worse. But Mr. Wilter didn't care, or at the very least, didn't notice, as he positioned himself beside the chalkboard, smirking knowingly down at him. The way he was looking at that piece of chalk...Snap didn't like it.

"It's that time again." Mr. Wilter said. "You are going to tell me everything I want to know, because if you don't..." He held the chalk between two fingers and waved it from side to side in a menacing manner.

Snap got up to his feet. "N-No...please..." He moved forward until the chain started to pull on his arm. He let out a cry of pain and dropped to the ground. He gave a few shudders, then looked up at Wilter with large, frightened eyes. "D-Don't do it...please! P-Please have mercy!"

Mr. Wilter chuckled lightly. He walked until he stood directly in front of the chalkboard. He folded his arms againt his chest. The white chalk piece could be easily seen, wedged between two fingers. He stared down at Snap, his expression making it clear he believed himself to be superior to Snap. The little zoner shuddered underneath that stare. Still on his hands and knees, he moved back, wincing in pain.

"If you don't want your friends getting hurt, zoner...you will talk." Mr. Wilter said. He raised the magic chalk in the air, eyeing it with that eerie smile. "Because if you think I won't do it..." He took a small step forward, but still kept himself out of Snap's reach. "...you better think again."

Snap's eyes widened in horror. He let out a few small whimpers, both from pain and from fear. He couldn't believe that Wilter was willing to threaten countless zoners just to force information out of him. Doesn't he realize what he's doing? Doesn't he see that zoners were just as sentient and alive as humans? Why can't he understand that? Mr. Wilter thinks he's doing no harm. It was clear, from the way he was acting, he doesn't understand what he's doing. Oh if only he could see the truth...

But what could he do? Nothing he said was going to get through to this guy. He might not want to hurt him, but Snap didn't think it was completely out of remorse. He thinks the main reason Wilter felt any guilt at all was because he needed him for the interrogation. He didn't want him to die because it meant he'd be back to square one in finding out about ChalkZone. Snap wouldn't doubt that Wilter's attitude regarding his health would change once he got the information he wanted.

Snap could feel a cold chill in his body, resulting from the fever. It was getting worse. He could feel it spreading throughout, causing him to shiver slightly. The fever had gotten higher, causing his headache to worsen. He did his best to fight back against the nausaea, but the fear from what Mr. Wilter was doing was going ot make that difficult. His illness was going to get worse, and he feared of when that would happen. Would he become so out of it that he would just give whatever information to Mr. Wilter? He certainly wouldn't be thinking straight at that point.

The pain in his arm had gotten a little better for a bit. He had been careful not to move it around so much. But when he tugged on it earlier in an attempt to get to the chalkboard, the pain had come back. His whole arm ached horridly from the cuff pushed through his flesh, between his two forearm bones. The skin around the area looked a tad worse now. The infection was getting worse. It was spreading further. He needed some antibiotics and fast. He was going to end up in a life or deat situation if he didn't get out of here.

But...but how? He was trapped here. He kept telling himself that over and over. Unless Rudy and Penny can figure out where he was... His mind drifted off to them. They're probably worried sick about him right now. They might be looking around the neighborhood, or searching around ChalkZone just in case he found his way back. He missed them so much... It hadn't been a full twenty four hours, but he missed them. He wished they were here right now. He could use their comfort. Mr. Wilter...is scaring him. He wanted out of there. All he wanted to do was go home... He just wanted to go home...

Suddenly there was a slam against the chalkboard. Snap jolted a little. If he had fur, it would be raised on end right about now. With a quickened heart beat, he looked over at Mr. Wilter. He could see the man's left hand had formed a fist, and he had struck it against the chalkboard. There was a look of intensity in those eyes. Snap gulped, knowing the man wanted to get started with the interrogation. He seemed to have less patience than before.

"Come on, let's talk. You know what I want, zoner." Mr. Wilter said. He pointed a finger at Snap. The little blue zoner cringed, his eyes focusing intently on the finger before looking up at Wilter's stern face. "Tell me I can get into ChalkZone! What is the method? Where is the gateway? What is the key? Tell me!"

Snap shivered harder, shaking his head slowly from side to side. "N-No...please..."

Mr. Wilter growled at this. He showed his chalk to him again. "If you don't, I will draw something to give your friends a little trouble. I will do it , too, if you do not give me what I want." As if to prove his point, Mr. Wilter pressed the chalk against the board, but did not pull it to create anything. "All it would take is a few lines...and your precious pals are in for a nasty surprise."

"No!" Snap cried. He climbed up to his feet. He staggered a little, but managed to keep his feet firmly planted on the ground. He took in a few breaths, his body hunched over. He looked at Wilter with a desperate expression. "Please d-d-don't do it...Y-You don't know wh-what you're d-d-doing!"

"I know full well what I'm doing, Snap." Mr. Wilter said, narrowing his eyes. "I am going to get the information out of you, one way or another. Now..." He hunched over slightly, his eyes boring into Snap's. "Talk! Or else..." He placed the chalk in front of his face, staring intently at it before his pupils looked back down at Snap. This made him look more menacing.

Snap moved back a little. He winced in pain, his arm wound getting irritated by even just the slightest tug. His headache was getting a little stronger, and he could feel himself start to get a little lightheaded. It got back enough that he started to lose his balance and he fell onto the ground. He rubbed his head and he stared over at Wilter. No sign of remorse in those eyes. It was possible that Wilter didn't understand that he was getting sick. Or, just as likely, if not more, he simply didn't care.

There..there had to be a way out of this. There had to be something he could do to prevent Mr. Wilter from finding out more about ChalkZone. Anything... He couldn't allow him to find out about magic chalk. If Mr. Wilter learned about that, and if he finds out Rudy has some... Just how far was this man willing to go? Would he threaten Rudy next? Snap wanted to say he wouldn't go that far, but he was already willing to threaten thousands of people. He no longer knew just how much this man was willing to do.

Snap felt a stronger sensation of nausae in his stomach. He rubbed it with his right hand, trying to fight off against it. He didn't want to throw up again. He was somewhat amazed that Mr. Wilter hadn't noticed the vomit laying on the ground. But considering how nutty this man really was right now, it was possible he was just overlooking it. He was so determined to get into ChalkZone, small details like that alluded him. Perhaps if he saw what he was doing, if he saw that he was becoming sick, maybe he'd begin to have second thoughts. But how was he going to do that when this man was so dead set on making him talk about ChalkZone?

Snap's stomach suddenly lurched forward. He felt a lump in his throat. On instinct, Snap covered his mouth. He wretched slightly, fighting back the nausaea. No, he didn't want to throw up again. Though it would show Wilter he was sick, the pain associated from vomiting was just too much. It hurt him...it hurt him too badly... He didn't know why... It just did. The experience has him terrified.

"You filthy little chalk creature!" Mr. Wilter shouted at him. Again he pounded on the chalkboard. Snap winced at how loud it was, hurting his ears. He cringed back, staring at Wilter in fear. "Talk! Tell me how I can get into ChalkZone!" He raised up his chalk. "Don't make me use this!"

Snap whimpered softly. He laid himself on the ground, pressing his stomach against the floor as if it somehow would keep him safer. He shook his head from side to side. "P-Please..don't do it... Why..why w-w-would you d-do this...?"

"I don't see why you're so upset." Mr. Wilter said, shrugging his shoulders. "It's not like you and your people are real...one hundred percent that is. You're just a drawing. You can always be redrawn. So what's the issue with a few of you getting hurt or even dying? As a drawing, you're pretty much guaranteed some form of immortality..." He narrowed his eyes deeply. "Part of the reason why you and your kind are a potential threat to society. One of the most terrifying kind of enemy...are the ones you can't kill off completely..."

Snap's eyes widened. "W-We're n-not the enemy! Please, l-l-let me go! S-S-Stop doing this!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Snap. I already went through with the trouble of kidnapping you, and holding you here. I am not simply going to let you go just because you asked. If you want to be set free, if I decide not to keep you as an...exotic pet... Then answer what I want to know. You are of no use to be dead, Snap. I would rather you talk to me while you are still able. Telling me how to get into ChalkZone is the only way you will be able to return there. Now speak!"

"N-No..I-I c-can't..." Snap shut his eyes, a few tears escaping from them. "I c-can't do th-th-that!"

"Why not?!" Mr. Wilter yelled, his eyes wide with anger. "Why the fuck can't you tell me, you piece of chalk dust?!"

"Because...b-because..." Snap stammered, trying to collect his thoughts. His head was pounding now, disrupting his ability to think clearly for a bit. He trembled a little, afraid to hopen his eyes, trying to cope with the growing fever. More than ever now, he regreted wandering off. Why did he have to do something so stupid?

"Because why?!" Mr. Wilter demanded, stomping his foot on the ground. "Tell me! Why can't I get into ChalkZone?!"

"It's...it's b-because h-h-humans are b-banned from there!" Snap cried out. He opened up one eye and looked up at Mr. Wilter. The man stared down at him, his expression still that of anger, but now confusion was in the mix. He stared at Snap with a 'you've got to be kidding me what about Rudy and Penny' kind of look. Snap turned his head to the side, one of his eyes looking over at the insane man. "Th-There..there used t-to be a l-lot of humans going i-into ChalkZone l-l-long ago...but th-they k-k-kept wrecking everything, drawing carelessly, and they were e-eventually k-k-kicked out."

"And Rudy and Penny?" Mr. Wilter asked, cocking an eyebrow. "They go there, don't they?"

Snap nodded his head once. "I-Indeed they d-d-do... It's because th-they are the o-only humans we z-zoners trust in ChalkZone. Th-They never hurt u-u-us.. Th-They h-help us..."

Mr. Wilter stared at him for a while. Then he answered. "I see.. So what you're saying is I cannot get into ChalkZone because humans are banned?"

Snap nodded his head. "W-Well that's one of the r-r-reasons. The o-o-other is that..I-I can't l-let you hurt my p-p-people. Humans are c-c-capable of so much ha-harm. I cannot all-allow that to happen..." He shut his eyes again, lowering his head as horrible thoughts ran though his mind. I-I had to ma-many nightmares o-of ChalkZone be-being exploited. I-I-I don't w-w-want that...please...j-just stop this a-a-and let me g-go.. I pro-promise I-I won't te-tell any-anyone about this."

Mr. Wilter remained quiet for a while. This frightened Snap. As the man stood there, staring at him, saying nothing, the zoner couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. Was his words going to get through to him this time? Was Wilter finally going to see some reasoning? Or was he plotting something in his mind? Was he going to try something? It was so hard to tell... Snap wished the man would reply so he would know what his intentions were. But even when Mr. Wilter folded his arms, he still couldn't be sure of what he was going to do. The silence, the lack of a response, it was getting to Snap.

Snap watched as the man turned around and took a few steps towards the chalkboard. He took there, staring intently at Snap. Snap's heart pounded as he wondered what Wilter was going to threaten to draw. He opened up his mouth to protest, but then he realized that Wilter didn't bring out his chalk yet. In fact, the man put it in his pocket, making it clear he was not going to use it. But if he wasn't going to use that, then what was he going to use? What was Mr. Wilter going to do?

Mr. Wilter glanced at the chalkboard, then back at Snap. "Say, Snap... Are your people aware of when you are on a chalkboard? I mean, before you are erased?"

Snap was confused by this question. Why would Wilter ask that? "Y-Yes. On s-some level we a-a-are."

"And when someone draws something on a chalkboard, can you see it in ChalkZone?" Mr. Wilter asked. There was hidden intent in that voice. Snap shuddered, wondering what the man was up to. "Like...when a football player draws those x's and o's when talking about strategy, would you see it?"

"Y-Yeah..we wo-would." Snap nodded his head slowly. His mind briefly wandered off to the time when he, Rudy, and Penny were trying to find the right portal to get into the school, and one of the wrong portals they went through led to some football coach talking with his students. "Not with everything, but y-y-yes, we w-would s-s-see it...depending..if you know what I m-m-mean..."

"Oh I know what you mean." Wilter glanced at the chalkboard. Keeping his head in that position, a small, somewhat eerie smile spreading across his face, he turned an eye towards Snap. "Say Snap...can your people hear what's on the chalkboard...?"

Snap's eyes widened in horror at that question. No...Wilter wasn't talking about.. No, he couldn't do that... Snap's heart clenched as he saw Wilter take his head and move it towards the chalkboard. He could see the fingers arch, and he knew what the man was about to do. Snap forced himself onto his feet and moved forward as much as he could without pulling the chain. He reached his hand out, his eyes wide and teeth clenched in desperation.

"N-No! Pl-Please don't!" Snap cried, his eyes wide in horror.

Mr. Wilter grinned nastily at him. He pressed his fingertips against the chalkboard. "Oh? What? You mean I shouldn't do... this?!"

With that, Mr. Wilter started to pull his hand downward. His fingernails dug into the chalkboard itself. A loud screech sound filled the room, getting louder as the seconds passed. Snap let out a cry and covered his ears, trying to get that horrid scraping sound out of his head. Mr. Wilter kept going, scratching the chalkboard as slowly and deliberately as he could. A cold chill went up and down Snap's spine. Horror swept through his body as he realized that his fellow zoners were hearing this...only it was much worse for them...

"P-P-Please stop that!" Snap cried out. He opened up an eye and looked up at Wilter pleadingly, tears forming in his eyes. "I-I-It's l-louder and m-m-more horrible in th-there! Please... stop i-it! I beg of you! S-Stop!"

Still scraping his nails on the chalkboard, clearly showing a will of steel as he did not seem as affected by it, Mr. Wilter just smirked at Snap. "It's either this or I draw something, Snap. If you want neither, than tell me what I want to know..."

Snap let out a soft whimper. "J-Just please...st-stop..."

Mr. Wilter narrowed his eyes. "Okay then..." Much to Snap's relief, Wilter did stop scraping the chalkboard. A sense of relief rushed through Snap's ears. He took in a few quick breaths. Mr. Wilter stared down at him. He said, "If that isn't enough to persuade you, I know what is." He lifted up his piece of chalk. Snap whined at the sight of it. "I am going to get what I want, Snap. If you don't tell me how to get into ChalkZone, I will give you a bigger incentive to tell me than just hurting your ears..."

Snap felt ice running through his blood. The look in the man's eye, the way he sounded, Snap knew that, any moment, he would draw on the chalkboard. Wilter was dead serious, too. There was nothing in his expression that suggested that he was joking about this. As Mr. Wilter raised the chalk and pressed it against the blackboard in a threatening manner, Snap couldn't help but let out a cry of fear. His heart rate quickened and he held out his hand in desperation.

"Please d-d-don't!" Snap begged him.

"Tell me how to get into ChalkZone..." Mr. Wilter narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Or I will draw a supervolcano that's due to erupt moments after it's erased!"

"S-S-Supervolcano..?" Snap whimpered. He didn't like the sound of that.

Mr. Wilter grinned evilly. "Trust me... You don't want something like this erupting anywhere near you..." He tightened his grip on the chalk. "Now speak! Or every one of your fellow zoners within a two hundred mile radius...is going to be screwed..." His voice darkened at that threat. "What will it be, zoner?"

Snap's breathing quickened. He started to hyperventilate a little. His heart pounded against his chest so hard he thought it was going to break out. He stared at Wilter in absolute horror. How...how could he do such a thing? This man...this madman... he was going to wipe out countless zoners, all in the name of getting him to speak. He could see the intent in those man's eyes. He knew Mr. Wilter was being serious about this. Snap really was trapped between a rock and a hard place. What choice could he make? Could he even make the choice?

He had no idea what he should do. This...this was the hardest decision he's ever had to make in his life. He couldn't believe that Mr. Wilter was forcing him to make this kind of choice. He couldn't believe just how far he was willing to go. He thought the man was nuts before, but...using a supervolcano to force him to speak? That was just..heartless. Did he have any idea what he was doing? Did he have a clue what kind of real harm that was going to cause?

Snap had no idea how he was going to get out of this. He really only had two choices, and both of them had a horrible outcome. He could either refuse to tell Mr. Wilter, and it would delay his chances of getting into ChalkZone. But it would result in the deaths of so many zoners when Wilter drew that supervolcano. He could give the information, but then not only could Wilter still drew the supervolcano anyway, just out of spite, but he would then have the knowledge of how to get into ChalkZone. He'd be letting an enemy walk right on in, and who knows what kind of damage would result from that...

"P-Please..I b-b-beg of you...Don't do it... Y-You're making a big mistake..." Snap pleaded with Mr. Wilter. He inched his way a little closer, as far as he could before he felt the chain tug on him. He reached out with his hand, wishing that it could stretch over and knock the chalk out of the man's hand. "P-Put that ch-chalk down..p-p-please..."

Mr. Wilter narrowed his eyes. "If you want me to stop...then tell me how to get into ChalkZone." He moved the chalk down slightly, creating a tiny dot. Snap felt his stomach lurch forward at the sight of it, his heart skipping a beat. "Otherwise, I will draw that supervolcano I promised. I have no qualms about destroying artificial life. That's all you zoners are. Artificial. Fake. So why should I care about what happens to any of you?"

Snap whined at this, his body trembling. Fear was eating away at his stomach. His chilled mind raced as quickly as it could as it tried to figure out a solution. There had to be a third option somewhere. Something that he wasn't thinking of... But what? He couldn't even stop Mr. Wilter from drawing on the chalkboard. He couldn't reach him...

His eyes widened in fear when Mr. Wilter started to drag the chalk a little further, grinning evilly at Snap. The zoner took in a few shuddering breaths, panic rushing through his mind. If Mr. Wilter created a supervolcano there...and it went off... He knew not only would countless zoners be hurt, but among those would be two of his closest friends, Rapsheeba and Blocky. They'd get caught in the blast and...no... No he couldn't allow that to happen. He just couldn't.

"Please don't d-do it!" Snap cried. His headache was getting worse. He could feel his cold shivers becoming stronger as the fever was irritated, getting higher. His mind was starting to become a little muggy. He struggled to ignore his discomfort, focusing on Mr. Wilter. "You c-c-can't do this! P-P-Please, I beg y-you! S-S-Spare them! D-Don't do this!"

"Tell me how to get into ChalkZone..." Mr. Wilter said simply. His voice was eerily calm.

Snap shook his head. "N-No...y-y-you can't... Please..S-Stop this!" Tears flowed down his face. "Don't make me d-d-do this...please!"

Mr. Wilter dragged the chalk down more. There was now a small line on the black surface of the chalkboard. A line that Snap knew would become part of the supervolcano if Mr. Wilter decided to finish it. "Tell me what I want to know, zoner. Or you can say goodbye to your precious little friends."

"No please!" Snap cried. He cried a little harder. "Please...please d-don't make me do this.." He lowered his head, tears dripping from his eyes. "D-Don't..."

"Tell me! You fucking little piece of shit! Tell me! Or I will draw the supervolcano, and it will be your fault!" Mr. Wilter yelled at him, his eyes blazing in anger. "Tell me!"

Snap shook his head, whimpering. "No please! Don't d-d-do it! Let m-me go!"

"Tell me!" Mr. Wilter shouted at him, his voice raising in volume.

Snap's body trembled hard. Sobs wracked through his body. He looked at the man in fear. "P-Please..."

"Tell me how to get into ChalkZone!" Mr. Wilter drew a little further down. "I will draw the supervolcano, Snap! I will erase it!" Snap shook his head, staring at him with a pleading expression. "Oh yes I will! If you don't want me to do it, then tell me what I want to know! Tell me how I can get into ChalkZone!"

"No..." Snap said.

"Yes!" Mr. Wilter narrowed his eyes.

"P-Please..I-I don't want this..." Snap begged him. Tears stained his cheeks. He was on his knees, his head lifted to stare up at the insane man. His breaths were deep and quick, hyperventilation still settled in. His mind was racing, his eyes darting back and forth as he struggled to figure out what he could do.

"Tell me what I wish to know! Do it! Hurry, Snap, my arm is slipping..." Mr. Wilter sneered, dragging the chalk a little more.

"No!" Snap shouted, reaching his hand out, his body shaking.

Mr. Wilter chuckled bitterly. "I don't know how long I can hold my arm, steady, Snap. You better tell me, or I can't guarantee your friends' safety..."

"I...I..." Snap whimpered, staring at Wilter with widened eyes.

"Tell me, Snap...or they will all die..." Mr. Wilter threatened.

Snap's eyes widened at this. His head was pounding, his heart racing. He felt his stomach churn and he felt sick to his stomach. He felt like he was going to throw up. He stared at the chalk, then at the man's eyes. He tried to think of something, anything, he could say or do to get out of this. He..he didn't want to make this kind of choice. He didn't want to be the reason why this evil man is heading into ChalkZone. He didn't want allow all those zoners to die either... He was trapped, with nowhere to go.

He felt a strong pang in his stomach, a cold chill rushing through his body. His nausaea grew stronger, making it hard to resist the urge to throw up out of fear. His headache pounded in his head, spreading a little across his skull. Dread was overtaking his mind. Fear chilled his body, making it hard to stop shaking. His fever was getting even worse. He could feel his face heating up. He swallowed hard. He stared up at Wilter pleadingly, but got no sympathy from the man. Breathing quickly, his heart racing, he knew...there was only one thing he could do. Only one thing that would ensure that his friends and those other zoners at least had a chance of survival.

He surrendered.

Snap lowered his head in submission. "The magic chalk..." He said in a low voice.

Mr. Wilter paused, staring down at the little blue zoner. "The what?"

"The m-m-magic chalk... Th-That's h-h-how you get in.." Snap said. His head was still lowered, refusing to look at Mr. Wilter. Tears flowed down his face. "I-It's a special type of chalk that can create portals into ChalkZone...and it a-a-allows you to c-create things while i-in Ch-ChalkZone. Only a h-human can use it."

Mr. Wilter stared at the zoner for a few moments, as if letting this settle in. He then smiled and walked over to Snap. The zoner winced as he heard the footsteps approaching him. Then he shuddered as he felt the man stroke the back of his head like he were a dog. Snap cringed away from the touch, but didn't fight back. Mr. Wilter gently stroked the top of his head for a few moments, smiling down at him.

"There, that wasn't so bad, now was it?" Mr. Wilter asked. Snap growled softly in response, prompting Wilter to take his hand away. "I think that's enough for now. Seems I worked you up a little too much. I'll give you a break before I come back."

Snap growled and turned his head away, curling up in a ball. "Wh-What more c-c-could you possibly w-w-want?"

Mr. Wilter grinned. "I'm going to ask you to tell me where I can get a piece of magic chalk. Though I already have an idea." Snap looked up at him. "I have a feeling that Rudy Tabootie has a piece...am I right?" Snap's eyes widened in horror at this. "Seems like he does... how very..interesting..." There was a twinkle in his eye.

"N-No...please.." Snap whimpered, but Mr. Wilter was already walking away.

"I will see you again soon, zoner." Mr. Wilter said as he headed towards the door. He opened the door up and stopped to look at Snap. He grinned evilly. "Thanks for the information, and don't worry.. I'll make good use of it..."

With that, the door was slammed shut, leaving behind a cold and frightened Snap alone in the room. Snap's body was chilled, filled with fear and dread and horror. He had no idea how things could get any worse now. He had given crucial information to Mr. Wilter. His best friend was going to be targeted next. And to top it off, he was getting sick.

It would take a miracle to set things right...

sss

Rudy felt his mind racing. He'd be frustrated right now if it weren't for the circumstances. He and Penny hadn't turned up any new information regarding their friend. He felt his heart clench tightly, the realization that they were nowhere near closer to figuring out where he was than before hitting him hard. He had no idea how much time had passed, and at the moment, he didn't care. All he knew was Snap was out here somewhere, he had no idea where he was, and he might be in grave danger.

Penny had tried her best to cheer him up, but despite her comforting words, he couldn't calm down. How could he? Snap was trapped here somewhere, and he couldn't stay in the real world for long. If they didn't get him back soon, he would die of dehydration or starvation, whichever one came first. On top of that, adding to his and Penny's worry, they just overheard some guys talking about a storm heading this way. It was going to rain. If Snap was trapped outside or in a poorly build room... He could feel his heart freeze in horror at the thought of it.

He still tried his best not to panic. He tried to calm himself enough so he could concentrate on continuing the search for clues. Somewhere, there just..had to be a hint as to where their friend was. He...he just had to keep believing they'd find something. Snap had to be in this neighborhood still. He just had to. He couldn't be that far away. He just needed to figure out where he could have gone. Which one of these houses was he in? Or had he gotten away and was hiding somewhere in the neighborhood?

Rudy wasn't sure where else to look. They were almost done with this street, and there weren't as many houses with fancy decorations. Mr. Wilter's house had one of the few. His was the flashiest and the most likely to get Snap's attention. But Rudy knew it was not likely Snap was taken by that guy. Mr. Wilter was a lot of things, but a kidnapper wasn't one of them. So that meant that Snap had to be somewhere around here on this street. He...he just wasn't looking hard enough.

But could he keep telling himself that? He and Penny were on the final house with fancy decorations. And they found nothing. No blue smudges. No sign of a struggle. No evidence suggesting that Snap was even here. And when he had asked one of the neighbors that lives there if they had seen a blue kid walking around there, they claimed they saw no one matching that description. Rudy and Penny didn't want to believe it, but...but there was a strong chance that..Snap hadn't disappeared on this street.

Which meant they only had one other place to look: Mr. Wilter's.

The thought brought a lump to Rudy's throat. He couldn't just go around accusing Mr. Wilter. He could just talk to him, and ask him if he's seen anything. But after checking all these houses and turning up nothing, could he really speak to Mr. Wilter without sounding a little...accusatory? He was his teacher; he should trust him at least enough to not do something horrible. Yet, at the same time, he had to remember the saying: when you eliminate the impossible, what's left is the truth, no matter how improbable.

The thought chilled him. The idea of Mr. Wilter kidnapping Snap... It was unprecidented. He..he wouldn't do something like that, would he? Rudy didn't want to believe it. Neither did Penny. If Snap was over there, they hoped that he was just helping Snap. Perhaps he got lost or something and was just letting him stay the night. Yeah, that had to be it. Mr. Wilter wouldn't go as far as kidnap someone... He just...wouldn't do that...

"Snap isn't here, Rudy." Penny said gently. She pressed a hand on his shoulder. "You know what we have to do now."

Rudy swallowed and nodded his head. "Y-Yeah..."

Penny gave him a comforting look, gently squeezing his shoulder. "I'm...I'm sure Mr. Wilter was just...helping Snap. And if Snap isn't there, Mr. Wilter might be able to help us."

"Yeah..I hope so." Rudy wanted to believe that Mr. Wilter was either helping Snap or would be helpful to them. He was uncomfortable with the idea of him actually doing harm. If Mr. Wilter did this on purpose...then just how far would he go? "I just..hope Snap is okay..."

"I'm sure he is." Penny said. She paused for a moment, and then gently tugged on his arm. "Come on, let's go see Mr. Wilter."

Rudy nodded his head. "Y-Yeah...okay."

The two friends headed towards the street. They looked both ways, and then rushed across, getting back over on the side of the road Rudy lived on. Then they started to head down, moving towards here Mr. Wilter's house was. From where, they could already see it, at least a corner of it. As they got closer, soon the house came into full view. The decoration was still up. Mr. Wilter hadn't taken it down yet. Rudy stared at it, remembering what it was like when Mr. Wilter had it turned on. Yeah, this was something that would definitely catch Snap's attention.

Rudy felt nervous about going over to Wilter's. Even though they both agreed that they would eventually have to go over there, that it was the one place they hadn't checked yet, he still felt a sensation of dread well up in his stomach. Mr. Wilter couldn't have... He shook his head. He couldn't let himself be dragged down like that. Snap was in trouble. He had to be prepared to do whatever it takes to save him. If that means having to consider Mr. Wilter a potential culprit, despite his reservations against it, then so be it.

Suddenly, he and Penny heard some panting. They looked over to their right and saw a jogger heading their way. Rudy didn't know her name, but he recognized her as one of his neighbors. She often went out for jobs at this time of day. He and Penny moved back, giving her room to run by them. Instead of going all the way, though, the woman stopped and stared at them. She stared at them for a few seconds, her eyes narrowed slightly.

"May we help you?" Penny asked, the silence getting a little uncomfortable.

The woman hesitated, and then she lifted up a finger and pointed it at them. "You two were with that blue kid last night, for trick-or-treating, right?"

At this, Rudy and Penny's eyes widened. Their hearts tightened. Could...could this woman know something that happened? Could she have the information they could use to find their friend? If so, this was the first good news they had since this search had begun.

"Yeah... His name is Snap." Penny said.

"We're looking for him now." Rudy said, holding out his hands in gesture. He took a step forward, staring intently at the woman. "Have you seen him?"

The woman narrowed her eyes slightly. "I have a suggestion for you. The next time someone decides to give you kids alcohol, please try to say no."

"What?" Rudy was confused. What was this woman talking about? "Alcohol? But we don't drink."

"We're too young for that." Penny added.

"Well your friend sure acts like he's old enough." The jogger crossed her arms, that frown still on her face. "The only reason I know he was drunk was that someone had to drag him into a house." She sighed softly and shook her head. "There was no other reason why he'd be dragged away. Not like this guy would have grabbed him if he weren't drug."

Rudy and Penny looked at each other, a sense of horror washing over their bodies. They knew that Snap couldn't have been drunk. He can't drink real world fluids. And since they both knew that Snap couldn't possibly have been stumbling around, intoxicated, there was only one other thing that could have happened. The same thing that Rudy had a nightmare about. Whoever had dragged Snap, like this woman described, had to have been kidnapping him.

The question was...how did it? This woman...she had to know. She might be their ticket to figuring out where their friend was. He hoped and prayed that was the case.

"Do you know who did it?" Rudy asked hesitantly.

"If you know who...helped him..." That was practically choked out by Penny, since she knew whoever did this certainly wasn't helping him. "Please..tell us."

"Certainly." The woman said.

What she said next struck cold horror straight into their hearts.

"It was Mr. Wilter."


	6. The Realization Of An Error

Mr. Wilter sat down on the chair in his kitchen. He looked out his window momentarily, enjoying the sunlight that was shining through. He took a moment to appreciate it. He had heard knews on the weather that a storm was going to come soon. A pretty strong one. Best enjoy the sun while he can before the clouds cover it up.

He picked up the glass of water from the table began to drink it as he thought about today's success. He hadn't really expected things to go this smoothly with Snap. In that one interrogation he did, he managed to get a huge bit of information. It was just a single piece of info, but it was going to change everything. Now he not only knew for certain there was a way into ChalkZone, but he knew just how to get there as well. He pulled the glass back and stared at his reflection. He couldn't help but smirk, feeling proud of his accomplishment.

Snap's reactions also confirmed a few more things for him. Whatever is drawn on the chalkboard really would come to life in this world of chalk. And that scraping..the zoners on the otherside must have heard it as well. Why else would Snap have reacted the way he had? He was certainly stressed out about the scraping alone. He couldn't imagine why; the scraping was annoying but not life threatening. But even more telling was his reaction to the supervolcano. He reacted just like he hoped he would. Those tears, that sobbing, he could tell they were genuine, at least enough that he could confirm that if he had erased the supervolcano, things would have gotten pretty bad for those zoners.

Mr. Wilter wasn't sure if he would have actually gone through with it. A part of him was somewhat reluctant. Despite his previous talks about being afraid of the zoners and not treating Snap very well, he wasn't sure if he could actually kill a zoner, let alone so many of them. If Snap hadn't broken down, would he have gone through with his threat, or would he have done something else?

Then again, should he really care what Snap feels? He was just a chalk drawing, so perhaps his emotions weren't genuine after all; just a mimickry from when he was around Rudy and Penny. Those two children could have taught him how to display emotion accurately. They were both pretty bright. He could see them doing that. And they were kids, innocent and trusting. It was no wonder they would befriend a zoner without stopping to think what kind of threat that zoner would pose to them. And if Snap's words are to be believed, then it wasn't just one zoner Rudy and Penny befriended, but a lot of them.

He lowered his glass to the table and shook his head. Such naive, foolish children... Did they really think they knew and understood the dangers of this world better than an adult? They were lucky they didn't get themselves hurt. It was a good thing he took action. Who knows what would have happened to them if an adult like himself didn't step into the mix? This potentially dangerous hobby of theirs must come to a stop soon, before they get themselves into trouble.

But perhaps he might be overreacting a little. Perhaps Snap was being honest about zoners not being the enemy. He didn't even know how long Rudy and Penny had been doing to this place. If they were going for along time, and if these zoners really were dangerous, then they would've harmed them by now, right? He couldn't imagine there being a reason why they'd wait so long to do anything to them. And Snap seemed to be a perfectly friendly zoner. The only time he actually tried to hurt him was when he bit him on the hand, and that had been his own fault. He was hurting him too much. This time around, when he hadn't tried to hurt him, Snap hadn't tried to attack him.

So maybe this was the mind set of most zoners maybe? Perhaps they weren't as aggressive as his paranoid mind thought they might be. He might really be taking things a little too far if this turned out to be correct. He was the aggressor here, the one confronting Snap. He had gone as far as make Snap cry, and if those tears were genuine...

He shook his head. It might still be a trick to lower his guard. As he told himself before, Snap could have picked up emotion lessons from Rudy and Penny. Or he could just be a really good actor. There was no reason for him to believe that Snap's crying was one hundred percent real. It looked and sounded real, but was it really genuine? It certainly seemed like it was. It sounded too real for him simply to ignore. Could he really keep going on telling himself that it was faked emotion?

He clutched his forehead with his hand. He was getting a headache thinking about this. A part of him wanted to believe Snap was faking at least to some extent to make him lower his guard. Snap was a zoner after all, and since he had no prior experience with them, he didn't know what they were capable of, what they might do... He had to be careful not to let his guard down. He didn't want to give Snap the chance to do anything...

...but what could he do? And more importantly, would he do it? There was a small part of him that does seem to see his emotions as genuine, a part of him that he could not ignore completely. He reminded himself again of how Snap never acted aggressively towards him until he had hurt him during the first interrogation in the unfinished bathroom. During the times he wasn't hurting Snap, he was fairly docile, though emotional and terrified, so it seemed. Would Snap actually, deliberately hurt him unprovoked? A part of him had a feeling the answer as a 'no'.

Yet...he still couldn't be completely comfortable around him. He was a living drawing. Cartoons frightened him, and Snap naturally terrified him by being a cartoon that was, for a lack of a better word, alive. He was walking around in his world, clearly a drawing, but also three dimensional, able to interact directly with the world around him. He knew nothing about this world of chalk except from what he was told, and he knew there was still so much more he didn't know. He...he had to figure out what he could before something could happen. He couldn't let himself go soft, not while there were still so many unknown factors he had to find out and consider.

He didn't even know how much of what Snap told him was the truth and how much of it might be a lie. Was it possible he lied about the scraping? Maybe the zoners didn't really hear it on the other end. Maybe he was just trying to make him take pity on him and stop. Did water really hurt zoners? If it did, it would make for a useful weapon against them in case they became unruly. While he wasn't certain if it really could hurt him or not, he had no plans on dumping water on the zoner just to try it out. On the off chance that Snap was being truthful, he didn't want to accidentally kill him.

Right now, he had to focus on the task at hand. He got more information out of the zoner, but here was still more. He needed to figure out where he could get this magic chalk so he could get into ChalkZone. Even if Rudy had some magic chalk, he didn't know how he could take it from him without causing a stir. He didn't have a lot of time, either, as Snap probably would need to eat and drink soon. If Snap died before he could secure a way into ChalkZone, things would get a lot more complicated.

Just then, he heard a knock on his door, tearing him away from his thoughts. The man turned his head, staring at the door and wondering who could be visiting him at this time. He would think most people would be too busy taking down their decorations and doing early Christmas planning to really bother visiting anyone else. Might as well see who it was. He pushed his chair back and got out.

He narrowed his eyes when he noticed just how forceful the knocking was getting. He thought he heard some angry shout from behind the door, but it was muffled. Geez, can't they be a little patient? The grumpy teacher headed towards the door, preparing to confront whoever it was on the other side.

sss

"Rudy.." Penny put her hand on the boy's shoulder. "Try to calm down. If you act to aggressively..."

"He has Snap, Penny!" Rudy shot her a glare. "We have to do something!"

Penny nodded her head agreement. "I know we do, but if we confront Mr. Wilter like this, we might make things worse. He could threaten Snap if we try to get in his way." She held up her hand in gesture. "I'm just as angry as you are about this, Rudy, but we don't know what his intention was with kidnapping Snap. He...he might not mean any harm."

Rudy took in a few breaths. He knew Penny was right. They couldn't just outright accuse Wilter, even in spite of the fact he was the culprit. If they confronted him so aggressively like this, then who knows what Wilter will do to Snap. Even if he hadn't meant any harm, he could still threaten Snap and be more than capable of inflicting harm on him. Snap was a zoner, made of chalk. And if Wilter somehow figured that out, then he would see Snap less than human, and see no harm in hurting him.

Still, Rudy found it hard to calm himself down. He couldn't believe Wilter had actually done something like this. He had known Mr. Wilter to be a stern teacher, but never a kidnapper. He thought he could trust the man to some extent, but after this... Just how far was Wilter willing to go? He kidnapped someone. He had...committed a crime, taking Snap from the streets and dragging him into his home. He didn't know how the man had treated his friend. Had he hurt Snap at all? His stomach twisted in knots as he thought about the different things Mr. Wilter might have done to him.

"I know, Penny. But I..." Rudy said softly. He pulled his hand away from the door. "I'm worried for Snap. Mr. Wilter kidnapped him, and we don't even know why..."

Penny put a hand on his shoulder. "I understand... I'm scared for him, too. Mr. Wilter committed a horrible act and we have no idea just how low he will sink. But Rudy..." Penny gently squeezed his shoulder. "...we won't be able to help Snap if our teacher becomes too alert to what we are doing to do. If we want to help him, then we can't confront Mr. Wilter directly; we need another way to get to Snap."

Rudy sighed softly. "I'm so scared for him, Penny. I don't...I don't know what that man has done to him.." He sucked in a breath. "He's frightened, I'm sure of it.."

Snap must be so scared and frightened... He could imagine his friend curled up in some dark room, waiting for him and Penny to rescue him. For all he knew, Snap could be horrifically beaten or cut up, or being mentally tortured by being locked up near water. He wished he could send a thought message to Snap and tell him he and Penny would do whatever it took to get him out of there. They knew where he was now. They could work on a way to get him out of there, somehow.

"I'm sure he is, Rudy. But this is not the way to help him." Penny said in a gentle but somewhat stern voice. "If you act angry towards Mr. Wilter, then he will be suspicious. We should leave now before he gets to the door. Better he thinks we're just a couple of prank knockers than if he realizes we know he has Snap."

Rudy knew that Penny was correct. They were better off tricking Wilter into thinking they were just pranksters. They had to keep the man in the dark about their knowledge of him having Snap. If they made it clear, then Wilter would make it even harder for them to get Snap back. He didn't know what Wilter wanted Snap for, but if it had to do with ChalkZone, Wilter could use Snap as a 'bargaining chip' to make him and Penny talk.

Rudy felt his heart clench as he realized what a big mistake he almost made. They should becoming up with a plan to save Snap, but instead, he let his anger get the better of him and he rushed over to confront Wilter right away. What if he had made things worse b doing so? Snap needed his help, and he wasn't going to be able to do that if he made the man responsible for his kidnapping suspicious, and take more actions than was necessary.

The best thing they could do right now was flee before the door opened. If they could leave quickly, they could fool Mr. Wilter into thinking they were just a couple of pranksters. If they moved around to the side of the house before the door opened, then they might have a chance to...

...the door knob began to turn. Rudy stared at it, his eyes wide in horror. He looked over at Penny, noting her eyes being wide as well. In just a couple seconds, that door was going to open up and Mr. Wilter was going to see them and know that they know he has Snap. Unless they got out of there now.

"Come on!" Rudy said, alarm laced on his voice. "Let's get going!"

He quickly grabbed onto Penny's arm and the two of them bolted to the side of the house. They pressed their backs against the side of the building and clenched their jaws shut tightly. They listened and waited for Mr. Wilter. They hoped and prayed he didn't think to come look for them on the side of his house. They could hear the door opening. They tensed up and waited to hear what the reaction was going to be.

sss

"Okay who..."

Mr. Wilter paused when he saw there was no one at the door. That was strange...he could have sworn he heard someone knocking on the door. In fact, there had been. He might be old, but he wasn't that old, and there was no way he could have just imagined the slight moist mark in front of his door. Someone had been here, perhaps running through the grass to get here. Maybe it had been the wrong house and they realized their mistake. A possibility.

He looked left and right, trying to see if he could figure out which way they must have gone. He couldn't see anyone. Yeah it was probably just the wrong house, or maybe some pranksters. He grumbled softly to himself. Of course children like that won't leave him alone. This hadn't been the first time he had been pranked like this and his house sometimes was mistaken for another, due to the weird addresses of some of the areas around here. He turned and started to walk away.

Then he stopped. He thought he heard a footfall from the side of his house. His eyes widened a little. Was it one of those hoodlums trying to vandalize his home? Not if he had anything to say about it. He immediately went around to the side, preparing to face the vandals before they had time to do anything.

"Okay you! I know you're...!" Mr. Wilter's voice trailed off. He stared in disbelief. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

There was no one here. He looked left and right, but he saw nothing. No sign of anyone being there. But..but this was where he heard the noise, right? He was certain of it. When he came over, he was positive he heard the pitterpatter of feet running off. But where did they go? No one could disappear that fast. He growled in frustration. No one makes a fool out of him. When he caught whoever was doing this, he could...

Oh forget it. He waved his hand dismissively. It was no use crying over spilled milk. The vandals had their fun messing with him. He should just forget about it for now and just head back inside. He was just going to 'feed the trolls' per say if he stayed out here and tried to catch them. He had other matters to attend to anyway. He didn't have time to waste on trying to catch a couple of small-time criminals.

He had to figure out what he was going to do about Rudy. The boy had the magic chalk. He had the key that he needed. Figuring out another source of magic chalk or even a backdoor into ChalkZone was important. Snap would have to know about it. If there was a less risky way than confronting Rudy, he was certain that little blue runt would know. He would just have to get the information out of him. Another interrogation was in order, but he'll wait a few hours so he could get himself prepared. He needed to figure out some questions he was going to ask him, and what he was going to to do to coax him into answering. The supervolcano threat worked. Maybe it would a second time...

He'd have to come up with a plan to confront Rudy as well. If it came down to it, if he had to go to him for magic chalk, he would need to really think hard about how he was going to do it. He couldn't just confront the kid about it. Rudy would most likely act as if he doesn't know what he's talking about, and if he is too aggressive about it, the parents would get involved, he was sure. The last thing he needed was for Rudy's parents to put a kink in his plan by getting a restraining order set on him. He'd need to figure something else out.

Deciding to ignore the vandals for now, Mr. Wilter turned and walked away. He headed back into his house and shut the door behind him. He turned his head towards the stairs. He looked in the general direction Snap was in for a few seconds, before heading back into the kitchen. He would talk to Snap again in a few hours, and when he does, he'd soon have knowledge of where to go to access ChalkZone. And the sooner he has access to ChalkZone...

...the sooner he could figure out just how dangerous this place really was.

sss

Rudy and Penny held onto the pipe as tightly as they could. They watched as Mr. Wilter left. When he did, the two of them let out a sigh of relief.

"That...was too close." Penny breathed.

"I couldn't agree more..." Rudy said. "If he had just stopped and looked up..."

Penny nodded her head. "At least he's gone now. Good thing. My arms are getting tired from holding this."

Rudy couldn't agree more. It really had been a close call, and they were able to get away by shere luck. They had heard Wilter coming around towards them and they nearly panicked. They couldn't run away anywhere without being seen by him. Their only option was to climb up the pipe towards the upper level and hope that Mr. Wilter was too tired to think of looking up. Rudy didn't think it was going to work, but he was willing to do it, as there had been no other options available at the time. While another, more practical solution might have been doable, with their short time span, they did not have a lot of thinking time.

Rudy had wanted so badly to confront Wilter. He was right there. He recalled how his blood had boiled at the sight of that man. He wanted to jump down and make him give Snap back to him. The only things stopping him were his logical, more rational side, who knew that such an act could endanger Snap's life, and Penny, who kept silently shaking her head at him whenever he showed any sign of wanting to jump from the pipe and onto Wilter's back.

He was still boiling in rage at what Mr. Wilter had done. He had committed a crime... He had kidnapped his best friend. And he had no idea just how he had been treating him. He wished he could see Snap. He wished he could get a glimpse of what was going on with him. Even if it was something horrible, knowing what happened to Snap, good or bad, would be of some comfort to him. He wanted to see what kind of condition he was in. He wanted to know what Snap had been put through, and he knew Penny wanted to know as well. There...there had to be a way to see...any way...

"Rudy..." Penny said gently to Rudy, snapping him out of his thoughts. "We should get going. We need to head back to your place and think of a plan. Now that we know where Snap is, we can better come up with a plan to rescue him."

Rudy almost argued back to her. He almost said to her how, since they were here anyway, that they should do something. But that was his desperation side talking. His logical side knew she was right. They needed to form a plan. At least now they had a lock on where Snap had disappeared to. Now wasn't the time to pull a risky rescue operation. Now was the time to retreat and come up with a plan, then come back. Once they figured out the proper plan, they can save Snap.

He knew exactly what he was going to do when they got Snap out of here. He was going to hug him. He was going to hold him and tell him everything was going to be okay. He knows Penny would join in, comforting him the best she could. They would both soothe him and try to help him feel better. After what he was going through, he was going to be in great need of comfort. Oh Snap... He could only hope that, whatever Wilter did to him, it wasn't that serious.

Speaking of Wilter, he was going to have that man arrested after he saved his friend. After what he had done, he deserved to get arrested. And this time, it wasn't going to be for being 'delusional' and 'raving about people crawling out of chalkboards'. This time, it was going to be for kidnapping a child, and he was going to get locked out for a long time, possibly lose his teaching job. Mr. Wilter was the one who decided to do something so horrible; he was going to have to pay the consequences of that.

Right now, though, he and Penny had to get out of there. If Mr. Wilter comes out again before they leave and he spots them... He didn't want to think of the consequences that might ensue from that. They would have to get a move on now. He turned his head towards the building. He really didn't want to leave, especially since he knew Snap was in there somewhere. But he had no choice. He would come back for Snap as soon as he and Penny figured out a rescue plan. Until then, all he could do was hope that Snap would be okay until then.

Rudy turned his attention to Penny and nodded his head. "Yeah...let's get going..."

Penny looked at him sympathetically. "I know leaving him is hard, Rudy. But don't worry... We'll get him back somehow."

"Yeah, I know we will." Rudy tried his best to sound convincing. He wanted to convince himself. But a small part of him was just uncertain. Just what had Mr. Wilter done to Snap?

Reluctantly, he and Penny started to leave when, suddenly, there was some kind of sound from the upper level of the house. They stopped and looked up. Rudy, staring intently at the window above them, walked a couple feet towards it. He listened intently at the sound, trying to figure out what it was. It was there only for a brief moment at a time. Almost like a popping sound but...not. It was hard to explain.

There was was again. And then some kind other sound, longer and shaky. It was muffled by the window. His first thought was that it was Wilter. His eyes widened slightly, a horrific thought settling in. What if it was Wilter...torturing Snap? He stared intently at the window. He..he had to find out. Despite the fact that he knew they had to get out of there, he had to find out what that sound was. He needed to know if Snap was getting tortured or not. Rudy rushed over to the pipe that led up by the window and grabbed onto it.

"Rudy!" Penny cried. "What are you doing?!" She ran over to him. "We need to get out of here! You're going to make too much noise!"

"I'm...just...going...to...see...what...that...noise...is..." Rudy said through clenched teeth as he hoisted himself up along the pipe. His arms wrapped tightly around the pipe, as well as his legs. He continued to push himself up slowly. "I...won't...make much..noise, I promise..."

"Oh Rudy..." Penny put a hand to her mouth. "Be careful..."

Rudy did feel guilty about disobeying his friend. He felt bad that, even after he understood the consequences and dangers of staying too long, he was climbing up the side of the house, risking making a lot of noise just for the sake of seeing what that noise was. Part of him told him to just let go of the pipe now and run. Another told him that it was just a little further up...just a little more, and he'd be able to see inside that window.

And he chose to listen to that part of him.

Rudy climbed up further, trying his best not to make noise. So far, Mr. Wilter hadn't come out of the house yet to investigate, so he was doing good. He continued climbing up, his eyes focused on the window. In a matter of a couple minutes, he was at the window. Keeping his legs tightly wrapped around the pipe, he reached out with his hand and grabbed onto the bottom part of the window. He pulled himself over and attempted to look inside.

Suddenly, his feet slipped from the pipe and he fell forward. Penny let out a horrified cry, reaching her hand out towards him. Rudy gave a quick shout and swung from side to side as he hung into the window tightly. He didn't have a lot of ledge to hold onto. Soon his feet were dangling a few feet from the ground. He gritted his teeth and hung on as tightly as he could. He looked down at Penny, giving her a terrified look, before he looked back towards the window. At least Wilter didn't seem to have heard that. He pulled himself up the best he could, using the frames of the window as foot holds...or in this case, hand holds.

Soon, he was able to push himself high enough, albeit with shaky arms, and looked inside. To try to increase his hold, he grabbed onto the top part of the window, which had more of a ledge. Before he continued to look inside, he steadied himself the best he could. He planted his feet against the side of the house to gain a little traction. It wasn't going to do him much good, but it was better than just leaving his feet hanging over the edge. He focused his attention back on the window, leaning forward and looking around.

The room looked incomplete, like Wilter was going to build something but had not yet finished. Based on what he was seeing, this looked like it was going to be a bathroom. He could see at least one exposed water pipe. It appeared to be plugged up good, though the sight of it made him uneasy. If Snap were in there... He shuddered at the thought. He was at least grateful that the curtains had been parted, otherwise not being able to see anything would have worried him even more...especialy with that sound...

He heard it again. It sounded closer, and now he could make out what it was. A sneeze... His eyes widened and his stomach twisted in knots. He hoped that wasn't Snap... And if it was, he hoped it was just real world dust messing with his nose. If...if he got sick here...

He was not able to finish his train of thought when he took notice of something in the corner of his eye. He pressed his face against the window and looked around, trying to make out that shape he saw. He saw something that looked bluish on the ground. It looked almost like some kind of small bean bag chair or something that Mr. Wilter set in there. Or maybe it was part of the bathroom. Maybe this was what was making the noise. Maybe the sneeze he heard wasn't a sneeze after all, but just some device Wilter was installing that was malfunctioning or something.

However, this assumption quickly turned out to be incorrect. To his shock, the small, blue thing began to move. It shifted on the ground and stirred. And when 'it' lifted up its head, revealing reddened eyes stained with tears, Rudy stifled a gasp of horror.

It was Snap...

There was no doubt about it... This was Snap. He shot a horrified look at Penny and mouthed Snap's name. Penny's eyes widened and she took a step forward, clasping her hands together and staring up at Rudy with almost pleading eyes. Rudy wanted to say something to her, but he found himself looking back at Snap. He took in a few quick breaths, his mind trying to register what he was seeing.

Snap looked horrible. His nose had a lot of thin, clear mucous coming out of it, his face reddened from what Rudy guessed was the onset of a fever. His body was a little dirty, like he was dragged around for a while. He saw few vomit piles on the ground, a strong indication that Snap really was sick. This was confirmed when Snap shuddered and then sneezed. Rudy felt his heart break at the sound, watching as Snap gave a pitiful shiver, as if the sneeze itself was hurting him.

Rudy could see some kind of chain attached to Snap. He couldn't see where it was attached to, though. His arm or neck he guessed. But why didn't Snap use his 2D powers to get out of there? Though it was hard to tell, it seemed like there was enough space under that door for him to slip through. What was preventing Snap from using those 2D powers of his to get the chain off? There had to be a reason. Snap wasn't stupid. He would know that he had that trick available in the real world.

Then something else confused him. How was Snap sick? He couldn't get sick in the real world, at least not from real world germs. He could only do that from chalk germs, and he was nowhere near there right this second. So...how did he get sick? The only way he could have done that was either if he picked up something from ChalkZone before he came into the real world, or...or if something happened to him here.

His eyes locked onto Snap's. The zoner saw him, took notice of him almost immediately. It felt like time froze. Snap's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open, almost as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Despite clearly being sick, Snap's mind was still sharp enough to realize who he was, and recognition flashed in those white eyes. Snap seemed to mouth the name 'Rudy' as he struggled to his feet. Rudy's heart clenched as he watched his friend struggle to stand up, the disease clearly taking a hold on him.

Snap attempted to walk forward, but something was wrong with his head. Rudy gasped when Snap nearly fell over. The zoner clutched his head, his body shaking in pain. Rudy felt a few tears form in his eyes as he watched his friend suffer like that. Snap looked over at him, his eyes wide and pleading. Rudy could see some tears moving down his cheeks. He could tell, from what he was seeing now, that Snap had not been treated very well. He could see the fear eminating from his eyes, his friend's silent plea to get him out of there. Rudy wished he could whisk Snap away from there, but he knew he wouldn't be able to do that without a plan.

And soon he saw another reason he couldn't get Snap out of there. This reason also explained why Snap did not use his 2D powers, and it also explained just how he had gotten sick in the first place. And that reason sent ice throught his veins.

The cuff..went through Snap's left arm. He gasped in horror, almost losing his grip, when he saw the metal cuff going through Snap's arm. Not around...through. It was..it was as though Wilter knew Snap had 2D powers..and had punched the cuff through his arm so he couldn't use that ability to get out. The wound, even from here, looked bad. He could see a little pus and he could tell it was swollen and tender. That..that was how he had gotten sick. The wound was clearly infected...and without proper treatment, Snap was going to get worse...fast.

Snap wobbled over towards him, dragging the chain along. The expression on his face told a strong story. Snap was scared...frightened..and in so much pain. He barely lifted his left arm, as though the slightest tug would sent so much pain through his shivering form. Snap's eyes stayed locked onto his as he approached the window. Soon he went as far over as he could before the chain started to pull. As soon as the chain tugged him, Snap stumbled back and clutched his left arm, letting out a scream of pain.

The sight of this broke Rudy's heart in two. More tears flowed down his face. Snap opened his eyes, tears of pain dripping down his face. Snap stared up at Rudy pleadingly, reaching his good arm out towards him in hopes of getting out of there. Rudy bit his lip, wanting to do something to comfort his friend. Anything. But...but there was nothing he could do. He needed the keys to remove that cuff...he wouldn't be strong enough to remove it, and he and Penny knew of no trusthworthy adults to remove it for them. All he could do was press his hand on the window and stare at Snap with a worried expression.

Rudy started to mouth words, hoping that Snap would be able to understand what he was saying.

'I will get you out of there as soon as I can. I promise.'

Snap stared at him, then, slowly, he smiled. Rudy smiled back, a tear trinkling down his face. Snap understood... He knew he would do whatever it took to save him. Snap knew he would never turn his back on him, that he would get him out. And that was exactly what he was going to do. No matter how hard it was going to be, he'd get Snap out of there.

Suddenly a shout caught his attention.

"What are you doing up there?!"

Rudy let out a cry of surprise. He heard Penny give a shout of shock and he could have sworn he heard her tumbling a little. He was so shocked himself that he lost his hold on the window. He desperately tried to hand on. He grabbed onto the top part of the window, but he grabbed it so fast that he slipped and fell back down. He landed on the ground, Penny rushing over to his side. She helped him up to his feet and the two of them turned to face the angry, approaching neighbor.

"What do you think you kids are doing?!" The neighbor, a somewhat overweight man cried. His eyes were narrowed dangerously. "Don't you know you could have been hurt?!"

As Rudy and Penny began to speak with the angered neighbor, none of them realized that the window that Rudy was on had been partially opened. And the storm clouds were rolling in...

sss

Mr. Wilter grumbled softly as he looked outside. The storm clouds had rolled in much faster than he thought they would. The storm wasn't supposed to hit until later in the afternoon. But the weather prediction was often wrong, and that certainly was the case this time around. The storm started about an hour after he heard that knocking on the door. At least the lightning seemed pretty far away, so the worst of the storm wasn't there. Still, it was really coming down.

He watched as the roads shimmered with water. A thin sheat of it cascading along the ground. The wind pushed along it, making it look like miniature waves. Rain poured down loudly, tapping against his house almost like rocks. The wind howled, blowing the rain against his house. The lights had flickered a few times, but thankfully the power never went out. He hated storms and he hoped that this one would pass soon.

He had wanted to speak to Snap more about ChalkZone. He was close to getting a way inside. He hoped that Snap knew of another way in that wouldn't involve going to Rudy. He wanted to avoid that as much as possible. If Rudy found out that he has his friend, that wold definitely complicate things, especially if he tells his folks about it, or the police. They may not believe him when he says Snap is chalk and he would get arrested. No...best to avoid Rudy unless he absolutely had to see him. He did think of going after Rudy for the magic chalk, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized there had to be a better option.

However, he didn't want to interrogate Snap during a storm. There were a couple reasons behind this. The first one, he didn't like storms that much and this one would distract him too much. The rain pounding on the rooftop, the wind blowing through the neighborhood.. Yeah there was no way he was going to be able to tolerate this storm while he tried to interrogate Snap some more. He'd have better luck just waiting until it passes.

The other reason was Snap himself. He deduced that Snap would be afraid of water. Being chalk, he would get killed by it, or so he thought. That is what Snap told him, but whether or not that was true, he wasn't sure. But if it was, he imagined Snap would be scared of the storm and not be able to concentrate on talking to him. Interrogation is ineffective if the person he's talking to isn't paying attention to him. Even though Snap was more than safe inside a house like this, where the rain can't get to him, he'd imagine the zoner would still freak out. Yes, it would be best to wait until the storm passed.

He tried to think of something he could do in the meantime. The storm would probably last a couple of hours. As much as he wanted to use that time to get more information out of Snap, he felt it was a little impractical. Plus, the zoner would be fine being alone for a little while longer. Not like he can really go anywhere anyway.

Mr. Wilter thought back to his pet comments to Snap. He was still up in the air about that. A part of him thought it would be pretty neat to have an exotic pet, something he could flaunt around. But then, another part of him thought it was a little creepy, given how humanoid Snap looks. He reminded himself that Snap was just a chalk drawing and nothing more. He shouldn't feel awkward about that sort of thing. It was no different than having some exotic animal like a parrot or snake. That was all Snap was, boiling down to it. An exotic animal who just so happened to be able to speak.

If he did decide to keep Snap as a pet, he would have to tame him some more. He would need to keep him under control so he didn't try anything or attempt to escape. It seemed he could easily control him using that chalkboard. Perhaps if he continued with these threats, he could keep Snap for a long time. Of course, he would need to get him chalk food and chalk water so he didn't die on him. Perhaps he should create a permanent portal that he could use to grab food and water for him every day to keep him alive. Yeah, that would work.

There was a part of him that still felt guilty with the way he was treating Snap. Not terribly guilty, but enough that made him question some things. Snap wasn't dangerous, so why was he keeping him locked up like some kind of wild animal? He was afraid of him getting away, sure, but he could at least let Snap stay with him, even if the zoner didn't think of him as the best company. Snap might not like being locked up for hours all alone. He did leave him in that room cooped up alone most of the time. And if he were truly alive, then...

Mr. Wilter's thoughts were a little confusing, and he shook his head, trying to stop the mild headache that spread through his skull. The small bit of guilt was still there and he turned his head towards the stairs. The storm was getting louder. He imagined Snap might be scared. Mr. Wilter wouldn't be surprised. A lot of people were afraid of storms. Snap probably was, especially since this is real world water, not chalk water that he was used to. Mr. Wilter looked towards the stairs, feeling a small amount of pity. He imagined Snap was curled up against the wall, crying because of the storm. Well the storm would pass soon. Just a little time...a little time.

Suddenly, there was a loud scream. Mr. Wilter jumped out of his seat, his body tensing up. He could feel his heart racing from the shock of it all. He looked around, trying to find the source of the scream. Then there was another one, a little louder than before. He realized it was coming from upstairs. It was Snap. Mr. Wilter wondered what was wrong. He sounded like someone was stabbing him in the stomach or something. Not wasting time, he rushed up the stairs.

After scaling the steps, Mr. Wilter moved down the hallway towards the room where he kept Snap. He grabbed the doorknob and opened the door quickly. He rushed in and he stared at what was going on. He couldn't help but be shocked. This was not what he expected to find.

The window...it had been opened. But how? It was closed before. Did the wind open it up? Impossible. It was strong, but not that strong. Regardless of how the window was opened, though, that didn't change what he was seeing. Because the window was open, there was a small puddle of water forming on the ground. The rain was blowing right on. More and more water cascaded along the ground, forming ripples just like how he saw outside. And then there was Snap.

The zoner was screaming in fear. He was moving away from the water, going as far as he could. The water was getting close to him. He pulled harder, trying to get further away. Despite the fact that pulling the chain clearly hurt him, Snap was so panicked and desperate, he didn't care. All he wanted to do was get away from the water. Wilter noticed how horror-filled his eyes looked, how much he was shivering, the whole fear expression etched onto his face. This...this was definitely not faked emotion. Fear was not easy to fake, and Snap really was terrified of the water. He watched as Snap pulled the chain again, only to hurt himself and fall into the ground.

Then something happened that Mr. Wilter did not expect would happen.

The wind blew harder, pushing the rain in faster. Soon, in seconds, the water puddle reached where Snap was. The water touched his left hand. In an instant, Snap let out a bloodcurdling scream. Steam rose up from the hand. To Wilter's shock, there was a burn on the hand now, a pretty bad one. Snap pulled his arm to himself, or at least tried to, before yanking the chain and making him let out another scream and freeze. Then the zoner looked at the water coming towards him. He whimpered and cried in fear, trying to get away.

Mr. Wilter felt a pang of pity in his chest. He had just seen proof that water really did hurt zoners. Snap couldn't fake that. He had been telling the truth about the water. Mr. Wilter bit his lip. He was starting to feel a little sorry for Snap. His frightened expression, how scared he looked, it reminded him of himself as a child. Although he would have wanted to leave him in this room, until this mess was cleaned up, until the storm passed...he just couldn't. He couldn't bring himself to leave Snap in a room that was filling with water. Without hesitation, he rushed forward.

He grabbed onto a towel that was laying on the ground near where the bathtub would be completed. He carried it over to where Snap was and he placed it down in front of him, absorbing the water into it. Snap stared at this in confusion before glancing up at Wilter. Giving him a terrified expression, Snap cringed back, as if he expected him to hit him. Mr. Wilter gave him the most sympathetic expression he could give at the time.

"I'll let you out of this room. You can't go anywhere anyway in the storm. But you are not to leave my side, okay? I need to keep an eye on you. I know that you might try to hide from me. If you try to do that, I will erase that supervolcano into ChalkZone, do you understand?" Mr. Wilter asked. He wasn't sure if he would go through with it or not, but he needed someway to keep Snap in line. The zoner nodded his head shakingly. "Good... Now let me remove the cuff."

He could see a flicker in Snap's eye. Happiness perhaps? He would imagine Snap would still want the cuff out. Mr. Wilter planned on putting it back on later, so he hoped that Snap would enjoy this time while he could. He had no other means of keeping him captive, so as soon as the storm passed, the cuff was going back in. He watched as Snap, despite his fear, moved his damaged left arm over to him, clearly eager to have some relief from the cuff. Wilter wondered if there was something messing with Snap's mind a little.

Nonetheless, he reached over and he grabbed onto the cuff. He got a good grip on it with both hands and, without taking a breath, he pulled on the cuff hard. In seconds, he pulled the cuff apart, the metal exiting the skin. Snap's eyes widened and he let out a scream of agony. Mr. Wilter winced a little as he saw the blood that coated the metal device, some of it dripping on the ground. He let it drop to the floor and he looked over at Snap's arm. He took in a sharp gasp at how it looked.

Blood poured from the wound rapidly, coating Snap's arm. There was pus leaking out and he could see how swollen it was. There was some kind of odd smell coming from it and he realized that the wound was horribly infected. But..but how was that possible? Snap was a zoner... They didn't get disease like humans did...or did they? He wanted to tell himself that this was some kind of zoner trick, that Snap was faking this somehow. But, as he stared at the horrific wound, seeing all the pus and the infection, seeing how deep the wound was, he realized there was no way he could be faking this. It..it had to be real...

Mr. Wilter looked at Snap's face, noticing how red and flushed it looked. Snap's movements were a little wonky. He was swaying from side to side. Despite having the cuff removed, he was not trying to walk away. He couldn't even tell if Snap realized the door was open. He looked so tired...so pale and sickly. He soon realized that Snap was...he was reacting like any human would in the same situation. He was a zoner, but he was still reacting in a realistic way to an infection. His eyes looked over on the ground and he saw a bit of liquid discoloration. Did..did Snap throw up?

Mr. Wilter was about to say something when, without warning, Snap collapsed on the ground unconscious. Mr. Wilter looked at him in shock before kneeling down and shaking him. No response. He checked for a pulse. He soon found one, but it was so weak. Wilter bit his lip as he stared at Snap's prone form, letting everything settling into his mind. The impact of his actions slowly, but surely, began to weigh down on him.

Snap had been fine when he initially captured him the other day. There was nothing wrong with him, and he though that was how he would always be. He didn't think that Snap, despite being made of chalk, would have the same needs and reactions as a human, physically. He had put a metal cuff into his arm... and that act had caused him to get an infection, and now he was sick... On top of that, he knew the zoner was hungry and thirsty, and that made his condition worse and...

No...oh no...what...what had he done...?

Mr. Wilter scooped Snap up into his arms. His body shook from the realization of what he did. He carried Snap out of the room as quickly as he could. As he carried him down the stairs, he said one thing to him, even though he knew he couldn't hear.

"I'm sorry..."


	7. A Grave Miscalculation

"What have I done...?" Mr. Wilter said softly to himself. "What have I done...?"

He should have known better. He should have listened to his gut feeling before. He should have realized that he had been wrong. Snap's emotions, his behavior...they were realistic because he was real. It wasn't just really good acting. It was real, authentic. Snap was alive... And he had almost killed him...

Mr. Wilter sat down in the chair in the living room, reflecting on his horrific actions. He couldn't believe he allowed fear to control him. He couldn't believe that he had listened to those fears instead of what was right in front of him. He had treated Snap horribly all because of this fear...and this belief that he wasn't a real person. He thought that, him being a drawing, meant that it didn't matter how badly he treated him; everything would be all right. He didn't even think he could get sick. And now he was being proven wrong.

He blew it...he really blew it. He had kidnapped a child. Regardless of the fact he was a drawing, he was still a kid, looking like he was about Rudy's age. He had premediated a kidnapping and went through with it. He captured him and dragged him away from his friends. He had locked him up in here against his will and started to antagonize him and menace him. He recalled the harsh words he spoke to him, and how cold they sounded. Even more so than he had remembered. Had he really been that cruel? Yes...yes he did. And only know was he realizing it.

He had called Snap poor names, like 'chalk creature'. He had forced information out of him by threatening his chalk friends. If Snap was real...did that mean these other zoners were real, too? And if they were, what did it sound like to them when he scratched the chalkboard? What would have happened if he did draw that infernal supervolcano and let it erupt? He hadn't thought it would do any real damage, because he didn't think zoners were entirely real. Now that he knew otherwise, the thought sent chills down his spine. The realization of what he had almost done struck him like a freight train.

As he stared down at Snap, he realized one thought as it came to him. He had become a monster. There was no ifs, ands, or buts. He had crossed the line. He kidnapped Rudy and Penny's friend, and his actions almost cost the zoner his life. It was all his fault, and he had no one to blame but himself. Revenge for what happened to him at the police station was not worth this. He...he had never meant to take things this far. He had never meant to harm another living being like this. He should have just let Snap go.

Snap's words echoed in his mind. His pleas for him to stop, to not hurt him, his begging to leave his zoner friends alone, the way he was breaking down... Mr. Wilter could feel his stomach twist in knots as the full realization of what he did caught up with him. How could he have been so horrible? He saw how distressed Snap was, and he still went on with interrogating him, hurting him, treating him like crap. He mentally scarred the zoner and for what? Petty revenge...

How could he have sunk that low? He was an adult. He was a teacher, in charge of looking after his students. He should have been the responsible one. He should have known better. And he still acted like some little kid. He throw a hissy fit, more or less, over old news, and took it out on a kid. Snap had shown more compassion than he did these past twelve or so hours.

He cradled the zoner in his arms. He had wrapped him up in a thick blanket. He cut his sleeve carefully and pulled it apart to reveal his wound. He was about to clean it when he realized he had nothing he could use. Real world water would hurt him. He instead opted to use a cloth, which he guessed wouldn't hurt him as it wasn't made of chalk and wrapped it tightly around his damaged arm. Using another cloth, he made a madeshift sling, tying it behind his head and putting his left arm in it for support.

Seeing the blood on the cloth made his heart clench in guilt. He had shoved a cuff straight through the zoner's arm. He had pushed it through bone and muscle, and he refused to take it out until now. The zoner was clearly in a lot of pain, but he had ignored it... How could he have ignored it? Snap was suffering. Another living being was suffering, and he knew he was in pain. And yet...and yet he refused to take the cuff out, because he didn't think it was one hundred percent real. He thought it was kind of superficial. What a disgusting thought that was... He should have known better.

Because of his carelessness, his callousness, the germs from his leotard had gotten into the zoner's body and wreaked havoc. With no food or water, his condition worsened. This illness could kill him if it wasn't taken care of soon. He recalled how the wound looked. All puffy and red with lots of pus and swelling... The slightest pull or touch would make the zoner scream. He took in a shaky breath as he recalled what he had done before. He yanked the chain so much that the zoner had passed out. Had he...had he caused more harm to the zoner? Had that sped up the infection? Oh no...

He could feel Snap shivering in his arms. He held him close, his small form laying across his lap. Only Snap's head was visible; the rest of his body was hidden in the thick blanket. Mr. Wilter pulled Snap against him, trying to share his body warmth with him. The zoner's face was flushed red. He reached down and pressed the back of his hand against his forehead. He flinched as he felt just how warm he was. The zoner's eyes opened up part way and stared up at him. He bit his lip as he saw just pitiful the expression was, as if he were silently asking him 'why?'.

Snap had been awake for a while, but he never spoke a word. He was too sick to really say anything. The fever was clearly screwing with his head. The zoner let out a few moans, turning his head from one side to the other. Sometimes he'd close his eyes, as if he wanted to get to sleep. Sometimes he would, but only for short times. It was as though the illness made him feel too uncomfortable to sleep. Wilter could see his mouth moving, his lips curling. Then, seconds later, he sneezed.

The sound of this made his heart clench. The sneeze sounded so painful and pitiful. He could just hear how much Snap was suffering just from that one sneeze. He sounded like a helpless little baby. He took a tissue and reached down to gently wipe away the mucous that dripped from the zoner's nose. He crumbled the tissue and tossed it to the ground. There were other tissues on the ground with it. He'd clean them up later. Right now, he focused his attention on his thoughts...and Snap.

He reached down and gently stroked the top of Snap's head. The zoner shuddered, but he couldn't tell if it was from the chill or from his touch. He ran his hand gently along his head, trying to provide some comfort to the zoner, and as a silent apology. Snap stared at him, but it was hard to tell if he recognized him or not. The fever slowed down his reactions, inhibiting them. Snap let out another groan and his eyes closed lightly as the zoner appeared to try to sleep. Mr. Wilter, in response, lifted Snap up a little higher, bringing him as close to his body as possible. He cradled him as if he were just a baby and proceeded to gently rock him back and forth.

Snap let out another sneeze. This one was painful, as Snap shuddered uncomfortably in response, his eyes grimacing a little to show pain. His body continued to tremble like a leaf, the fever wreaking havoc on his body. Snap started to cuddle closer to him, clearly seeking warmth. He let out a few small whimpers as he pressed the side of his face against Wilter. The teacher placed his hand against Snap's head, providing support as he held him close.

As he watched Snap suffer like this, he thought, again, back to his pet comments. The thought of them made him shudder. He had almost considered making a pet out of Snap. Before, he hadn't thought it was any big deal. He thought Snap would make for a good exotic pet, if he ever decided to go along with it. But now, the realization of what he almost did...it disgusted him. He had almost forced another sentient being into the role of a pet. He was going to treat Snap like some stray dog he found on the street.

No..he realized he had treated Snap so much worse. Those who treated their pets the way he had treated Snap... They end up in the slammer. He had been downright abusive towards him and hardly showed any ounce of kindness towards him. He had tried to 'tame' Snap as though he were some wild animal. He had told him that he might make him a pet. And that chilled him. Snap hadn't deserved that. He banished those horrific thoughts out of his mind. How...how could he have thought that was a good idea? Just what part of him felt it would have been fine? The part controlled by anger and vengefulness, that's what.

Mr. Wilter stared down at Snap, feeling a few tears form in his eyes. He stared at the zoner's reddened face, the wetness coming out of his nose, the dark circles around his eyes... He looked so horrible. And it was all his fault. He caressed Snap's cheek softly, sucking on his lip for a few seconds before he lifted Snap up more, pressing his head against his shoulder carefully, his chin resting on the back of the zoner's head. The zoner shivered and whimpered against him, and he attempted to comfort him by gently rubbing his back.

What was he going to do? He couldn't help Snap here. He could keep him warm, which was what he was doing now to the best of his ability. But he couldn't help him get better. Snap was very sick all because of his actions. He could die if his fever gets too high. He had been able to take his temperature earlier, and it was 103. And he was certain it was steadily getting higher. Snap needed chalk medicine, which he was unable to provide. He couldn't even get him anything to drink or eat, and this inability was making Snap even weaker. If Snap didn't get any of this soon, he'd die either from the illness, starvation, or dehydration.

The only way Snap could get any help was going into ChalkZone. And he had no way into that place. He didn't have any piece of magic chalk. He couldn't open a portal and drop Snap off. He couldn't open a portal and quick draw medicine or food or water for him. On the chalkboard, yes, but it wasn't like that materialized in the real world. He needed actual magic chalk, and the only source he knew of was Rudy Tabootie.

But he couldn't just steal it. He couldn't break into his house. He was in enough hot water as it is. He kidnapped someone, abused him, and put a cuff through his arm, making him sick. That was enough to get him sentenced for a long time. He didn't need to add something else onto it. He couldn't go to Rudy's place and break in to steal magic chalk. He'd surely get caught and arrested. And if the police find him, what would they do? He was certain they'd take him to a hospital, and if real world fluids hurt him... The hospital was the worst place he could be, and with him being so weak, he wouldn't be able to talk or fight back when they stick the needle in him.

There was only one thing he could do. He had to bring Rudy and Penny here. He couldn't take Snap over there, not in this storm. It wasn't going to let up for a while. He could try to protect Snap from the rain, but it was better he stayed in here, where it was dry. Rudy and Penny would have to come here, and use his chalkboard. That was the only way Snap was going to be able to return to ChalkZone. He knew that fully well.

But could he work up the courage to confront and confess to them what he had done? How would they view him afterward? Would they be angry? Of course they would. They had every right to be. He kidnapped their best friend, for crying out loud. Confronting them was going to be hard, and his heart twisted at the thought. A part of him almost decided on doing something else without calling Rudy and Penny. But that would be stupid. They were his best chance for survival and he was making things worse by delaying it.

Besides, he had taught the students that it was important to take on responsibility. It was admirable when someone admitted they were wrong and tried to do something to fix their mistakes, like how Reggie confessed he drew that rude picture of him. What kind of teacher would he be if he didn't own up to his mistakes? He taught his students to be honest. He should practice what he preached and confess. Though it would be hard... he knew it had to be done. He needed to take responsibility for his actions.

He made his decision. Being careful not to hurt Snap or move him around too much, Mr. Wilter reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellphone. He dialed a number and put the phone to his ear. He let it ring, waiting for someone to pick it up.

sss

The phone rang and ran, but no one came to pick it up. That's because no one was near the phone. The downstairs of Rudy's house was empty, devoid of any life. Instead, they were all upstairs, in Rudy's room, the door shut. There was noise coming from this room, in the form of scolding, not just from Rudy's parents, but Penny's mom as well.

"Do you kids realize you could have been hurt?!" Mr. Tabootie snapped, his voice raised in volume. Rudy and Penny flinched at this, cringing back as the angry man scolded both of them. "Of all the dangerous, irresponsible things..!"

"But..dad..." Rudy started to say, but he stopped himself. Not just because of the way his dad looked at him, but because he knew he couldn't tell them about Snap. He looked away.

"I can't believe you would do something so stupid, Rudy!" Mr. Tabootie raised his hands in the air. His face was slightly red from the anger he was feeling. Rudy had never heard his dad this angry before. "What possessed you to do such a thing?! You could have been hurt, or killed!"

"And from what the neighbor said, you fell down! I know it was kind of a short fall, but if you had landed at just the right angle..." Mrs. Sanchez started to say.

Penny interrupted her mother. "But it wasn't Rudy's fault! The neighbor surprised him. If he hadn't called out the way he had and startle Rudy, it wouldn't have..."

"It wouldn't have happened at all if Rudy hadn't tried to pull a stunt like that." Mrs. Tabootie said, cutting off Penny. She folded her arms against her chest, glaring in Rudy's direction. Rudy shrank under the glare of his mother, moving his foot a little in guilt. "Just...why would you do such a thing, Rudy? Why would you climb up that pipe at Mr. Wilter's house?"

Rudy wanted to so much to tell them. He wanted so much to explain his actions. If they knew the truth, if they knew what Wilter was, they would understand a little more of why he climbed up that pipe. He wanted to tell them so badly. But just what could he say? There was nothing really he could come up with that wouldn't compromise ChalkZone. He couldn't tell them about Snap; they'd try to take him to a hospital, where he would be killed or hurt worse.

He couldn't think of a backup excuse. There wasn't any that would make sense. Even Penny couldn't think of one. What Rudy had done was very dangerous and yeah, he could have been really hurt pulling a stunt like that. In order to satisfy his parents, he'd need to come up with a really good excuse to at least help them understand why he did it. But nothing came to mind; as far as his parents knew, he climbed up because he was having a momentary lapse in judgement, and that wasn't something he was known for.

A part of him wished he hadn't climbed up that pipe, or at the very least, was more careful. If he or Penny had been on the look out more, they could have seen the neighbor coming and gotten down before he slipped off. Or maybe he could have even gotten off well before the neighbor came.

But then, what choice did he have? He needed to know if Snap was up there. He needed to see what condition he was in. Despite being in danger, Rudy still felt that it was worth it to take the risk. Now he knew for certain where Snap was and what condition he was in. Now he could formulate a plan to rescue him. Even if he got grounded, he could still use his chalkboard to sneak into Wilter's house and grab Snap. He wasn't sure if he could remove the chains or not, but he...he had to try.

He had given a piece of magic chalk to Penny earlier. He was certain that his parents and her mother were going to ground them for the night. Just in case that happened, he made sure Penny had a piece of magic chalk so they could meet up in ChalkZone. After that, they were going to talk about what to do regarding Snap. How were they going to get him out of Wilter's house? Rudy was certain Penny would have some kind of idea on what they could do. She was always full of good ideas. Certainly she'd think of something.

Then a horrible thought entered his mind. What if his parents are so furious with him that they take his chalkboard away...? That would put a dent in his and Penny's plans, and it would delay help for Snap. The zoner didn't have much time. If Rudy didn't get to him soon...if he didn't get Snap back into ChalkZone, he might... He didn't want to think about it.

Rudy was torn from his thoughts when he heard Mrs. Sanchez scold her daughter.

"I'm surprised with you, Penny!" Mrs. Sanchez said.

"Wh-What are you talking about? I wasn't doing anything." Penny said, fumbling her hands nervously. Rudy knew Penny was right. She hadn't done anything wrong.

But Mrs. Sanchez didn't agree. She folded her arms against her chest and glared at her daughter. "You should have known better. You know better than to trespass one someone else's property. But that isn't what is making me angry. No, what upsets me is that you should have known Rudy could have gotten hurt. You should have gotten him down from there! Why didn't you stop him?"

"Mom, I..." Penny's voice trailed off.

"You're usually so responsible, Penny. I don't know why you..." Mrs. Sanchez's voice was laced in anger. She let out a soft groan, as though she couldn't think of how to continue. The two kids took a step back. Mrs. Sanchez gave a soft sigh, attempting to calm herself down. "Look, I understand that you two didn't mean to get yourselves into trouble. But you..." She looked at Penny. "And you..." She then looked at Rudy. "You both should have known better."

"She's right." Mrs. Tabootie said, her eyes still narrowed. "Both of you could have been seriously hurt. You were lucky the fall didn't cause more damage than a bruised leg, Rudy." She then looked at Penny. "And you were lucky Rudy didn't fall on you and accidentally hurt you."

"And you were both incredibly lucky that the pipe didn't end up falling on both of you. The neighbor told us how it was bent." Mr. Tabootie said. "If it had fallen over, I'm sure Mr. Wilter would want us to pay for the damages." He continued to glare at the two kids. Slowly, that glare softened up a little. "But we wouldn't be as upset about that, as we would have been if you two were badly hurt."

"Yeah. A pipe can be replaced, but you two can't."

"We don't want to be angry with you two. And we don't know if we will ever understand why you did it..." Mrs. Sanchez said. "But..please... Promise us you won't do something so stupid and crazy ever again. We don't want you to get hurt."

Penny nodded her head. "We promise."

Rudy lowered his gaze a little. He made nervous gestures with his foot as his hands were clasped together behind his back. As much as he hated to lie, he had no choice in this situation. "I..I don't know why I did it. I'm...I'm sorry..."

Mr. Tabootie, who had calmed down for the most part, reached over and touched Rudy on his shoulder. "We know you are, son. We know. Just..." He bit his lip and sighed softly. Rudy could tell that his dad was still angry with him, despite his much calmer expression. He found it hard to look into his eyes. "Just please... Think before you act. Don't go pulling crazy stunts like that. If something were to happen to you, I..I don't know what we'd do..."

Mrs. Tabootie nodded her head in agreement. "We care about you two. It would break our hearts if you two got badly hurt."

Mrs. Sanchez lowered herself down to Penny's level. "We hope that you two have learned your lesson, and you won't go and do something crazy like this again."

"We won't..." Penny said softly as she wrapped her arms around her mother. "We promise..."

Rudy felt his eyes widen in surprise when he felt his dad hug him without warning. Given his previous mood, this came as a surprise. He saw his mother approaching a little slowly at first. But soon, she was joining in the hug as well. The feeling of two people hugging him made him feel stiff, unable to move. But at the same time, it was...comforting. He remained still, feeling the warmth of his parents as they kept their arms around him. He moved his eyes over to see Penny in her mother's embrace, her mom gently rubbing her back.

Rudy did feel bad about scaring their folks like that. He didn't like worrying his parents, and that's exactly what he did when he climbed up that pipe and fell off. And they were right; he could have knocked the pipe over and hit Penny as well. It wasn't that strong. It certainly wasn't made to be climbed on. Mr. Wilter was in need of repairing that pipe. He was lucky he didn't get more hurt than he already was.

What hurt even more is that he couldn't even tell them why he climbed up there. If he did, he would risk endangering Snap. If his parents found him and saw what kind of condition he was in, they'd take him to the hospital or have Mrs. Sanchez try to treat him. And without knowing he was made of chalk, they'd hurt him or kill him.

And what if they found out he was chalk? What would their reaction be? Rudy felt his blood turn to ice as he thought of all the really horrible ways they could react. They might kill Snap out of horror. They might treat him like he were some stray dog. They might send him to a scientist to be studied. Mrs. Sanchez might want to study him, and while she can be kind with animals and humans, he wasn't sure if she'd extent that kindness to a zoner, a being made of chalk. If they ended up hurting Snap...he wasn't sure what he'd do.

Snap... He hoped he was okay. He hoped that his condition won't worsen during the time frame that he couldn't be with him. He was so sick... And that cuff through his arm.. His body shuddered at the memory. Seeing a cuff through anyone's limb was horrible, but it was so much worse when it was something he loved...that he cared about. Snap was clearly in a lot of pain, and most of it came from that horrid cuff. How could Mr. Wilter be so cruel as to put something like that through his friend's arm? What was he thinking..?

That man... Rudy was not going to let him get away with this. Mr. Wilter had destroyed the trust that he thought he and Penny had with the man. He was not going to allow him to destroy Snap as well. Somehow, someway, he would get Snap back and make sure that Mr. Wilter paid for what he had done.

Mr. Tabootie pulled away from Rudy. He gave him a gentle smile, any sign of anger gone. He was about to speak again when he lifted up his head. He tilted his head to the side, his eyes focused on the door. "Do you hear that, Millie?"

Mrs. Tabootie looked at her husband in confusion. "What is it?"

"I think I hear the phone ringing." Mr. Tabootie said.

Rudy and the others in the room looked confused. They tried to listen to the phone's ring, turning their heads from side to side, but none of them could hear the ring that Mr. Tabootie claims was there. They looked at each other, and then back at Mr. Tabootie, wondering what he was talking about. The man straightened himself up, his gaze still at the door. He took a few steps towards it. The way his eyes narrowed, it was clear to everyone, especially Rudy and his mother, that his dad was not lying about this. He really did hear something.

Mr. Tabootie reached for the doorknob and turned it. He opened it up. As soon as he did, they could all then hear something faint. A familiar ringing sound. Rudy blinked his eyes. Who would be calling them at this time? It couldn't be anyone from his dad's work. They don't usually call on the weekends. He didn't think it could be any of his mother's friends, or anyone else. Who could it be?

Mr. Tabootie moved outside of the room. As he did so, the ringing stopped. They heard the sound of the answering machine being picked up. They could hear Mr. Tabootie's voice stating to leave a message. As this played, Rudy, Penny, and their mothers walked forward, just as curious about this message as he was. They could simply ignore it and listen to it later, but a part of Rudy had a feeling that this call might be very important. He wasn't sure why. It was just a gut feeling.

The beep came, irritating their ears for a few seconds. Then the message came. Rudy and Penny widened their eyes as they heard Mr. Wilter's voice speaking over the phone.

"Uh...hello.. Mr. and Mrs. Tabootie... This is Mr. Wilter. I..need to speak to Rudy. It's...an emergency. I know it's not so great outside right now, with the storm and all, but this can't wait. I also...I need to speak to him privately. Would you mind bringing him over to play place? This is something that I...I must speak to him in person. Please... I know this is a rather unusual request. But it's important. Please hurry."

There was the sound of a click and the phoneline went dead. The answering machine ended, gave a beep, and then all was quiet.

An uncomfortable silence filled the room. No one said anything. They looked at each other, some giving confused looks, others worried. Rudy stared at the phone, his heart beating quickly. Penny looked at him sympathetically, and he could tell she was just as puzzled and frightened as she was. Their parents looked at each other, low murmurings of confusion slowly replacing the quietness that was prevelant earlier.

"Mr. Wilter...calling Rudy to his house...during a storm? Has he gone mad?" Mrs. Tabootie asked.

Mrs. Sanchez said, "Well there may be a good reason for it. You know Mr. Wilter. All no nonsense." She looked at Rudy's parents, holding up a hand in gesture. "If he really wants to see Rudy, then it has to be a very damn good reason."

"Yeah, I know. The guy usually has a good head on his shoulders...but..I..." Mr. Tabootie put his hand on the side of his face and rubbed it. "I just don't know what to make of this. This seems...really odd. I know some guys who may pull something like this, but..Mr. Wilter...? He's usually not crazy enough to call to see a student at his house during a storm."

"Maybe that's just to show how urgent it is." Mrs. Sanchez suggested. "If he wants to see Rudy that badly that he's willing to see him in a storm..."

As the parents spoke to each other, Rudy and Penny moved away, further into the room. They looked at their folks, watching them as they discussed the situation with Mr. Wilter. The two of them looked at each other, each lost in their own thoughts, but both sharing similar worry.

Rudy couldn't believe it. Mr. Wilter...calling them at this time. There was only one explaination for it. The tone of the voice sounded sad and urgent, but Rudy knew the truth, and so did Penny. Mr. Wilter knew they were over at his house. He knew that they had tried to get Snap out of there. He knew that they were trying to stop him, and, depending on what he knew, he might be making him come over to force him to reliquish the magic chalk, or more information in exchange for his friend. His parents might think that he just wants him to help fix the pipe, even if it is a stretch, but no.. Mr. Wilter would sooner take his magic chalk than ask him to help with that pipe.

Rudy felt anger rise up in his blood. How dare Mr. Wilter try to play with his parents' hearts, making bullshit claims of 'emergency' and sounding sad to try to convince them to take him over there... How dare he believe that he and Penny would be so stupid as to fall for this trick. He knew what would happen. As soon as he was alone with the man, he was going to trap him, and force him to give information. Alone, there was little he could do, and even if Penny were there wish him, they'd still have problems. Mr. Wilter was bigger and physically stronger than they were. He could hold them both there for a long time, under the guise of this 'emergency' crap he talked about.

There was only one thing they could do. As he and Penny stared at each other in the eyes, they both made the same conclusion. Rudy couldn't just simply walk into Mr. Wilter's trap. They had to think of a work around. Somehow, someway, they had to get over to Wilter's house silently, sneak around back, and climb in through the bathroom window. They'd have to be careful because of the rain, but, if they think of a plan, they could do it. Maybe they could sneak in with a bag and have Snap go inside it and they could flee. Yeah, that could work.

There was no way he and Penny were going to be fooled. They'd find a way to go into the rain themselves. They'd go a different way so Mr. Wilter doesn't see them coming. Then they would go into the bathroom and leave with their friend. His deceit is not going to work on them. He might think he has them fooled, but they knew better.

In a short while, they will get Snap back. Rudy would see to that.

sss

Mr. Wilter flipped his phone closed as soon as he was done recording his message. He wished he had thought of something better to say. He wished he had thought things through a little more. He had been ill prepared for when the answering machine came on. He had hoped that one of Rudy's parents would pick up. He thought they would be home.

Instead, he got the answering machine. And as it came on, he realized just how little he had prepared for this. He needed a way to get Rudy to come over here, and in his head, his mind swirled with many thoughts as he tried to think of something to say that would be good enough for the parents to let Rudy come over during a storm. He had his doubts that a simple visitation would be good enough reason for them to allow Rudy to come over. Claiming their was an emergency was the only thing he thought of that could work.

And this was an emergency...

He glanced down at Snap, whom he still cradled in his arms. Snap had his eyes closed and his mouth was partially open. He was breathing through his mouth now, his nose too stuffy. Each breath sounded ragged and strained. The sound of it made Mr. Wilter flinch, reminding him more and more of his mistake. It was his fault Snap was like this. There was no way he would deny that. Just yesterday, Snap had been healthy and having a great time with his friends. And now, not twenty-four hours later, he was sick with a horrible fever. He had deteriorated so fast, because of his actions.

Mr. Wilter wished there was something he could do for the zoner. He wanted to do something else to help him feel more comfortable. He couldn't feed him or give him anything to drink. He couldn't offer any pain medication or any kind of ointment. All that stuff would make his situation worse...

Mr. Wilter placed a hand against the zoner's forehead. His eyes widened when he realized the temperature seemed to have gotten even higher. It was a slight change, but with Snap's already weak condition, he couldn't afford something like this. He got up from the chair slowly. He kept Snap wrapped up in the blanket. He walked towards the kitchen, keeping the zoner pressed against himself.

After he got in the kitchen, he started to rummage through his cabinet, soon finding the thermometer he had placed there. Not the best place for it, but he wasn't really thinking too clearly right now. And for good reason. He glanced down at Snap as he wiped the tip of the thermoneter, a force of habit. He checked to make sure the digits were at zero again and he then returned his gaze to Snap.

"Open your mouth please." Mr. Wilter said gently.

Though Snap was sluggish and out of it, he did understand what Mr. Wilter wanted. He complied, opening up his mouth slowly. Mr. Wilter winced as he felt him breathe against him. Even Snap's breaths felt like they were incredibly hot. He lowered the thermometer to his mouth. He placed it under Snap's tongue and eased his mouth shut to hold it in. He kept in in there for the full minute that it recquired. After it beeped he pulled it out and checked what it read. He winced as he saw the numbers.

104...

Snap's fever was now at 104... That wasn't good. If it gets any higher..

Mr. Wilter had to figure out a way to lower Snap's body temperature and fast. If he didn't, he was going to get even worse. But how? He couldn't use any water or ice. That would hurt him. He couldn't give him any medications either. They wouldn't work or they would harm him, or both. But he couldn't just give up. There had to be something he could do. Though his head hurt from all the concentration, he still thought long and hard, trying to think of some kind of solution. Something that was alluding him.

Then he realized something. He recalled one of his childhood friends had gotten him one of those... He forgot what they were called, but they were matts that had something in them that made them cold without the use of water. It wasn't much, but it might help Snap. Putting the thermometer back, Mr. Wilter adjusted Snap in his arms, making sure both of his limbs were wrapped around the zoner to support him. He felt his heart clench as Snap shifted himself a little and let out a soft groan. He headed towards the stairs.

After scaling them up, he moved towards his bedroom, which was in the opposite direction of the dreaded room he had forced Snap to stay in for so many hours. Mr. Wilter reached the door to his room. He turned the knob and opened it up. He stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. He carried Snap further into his bedroom, moving at a slow pace so he did not irritate the zoner.

He could see through his window the storm hadn't really let up. The wind was still blowing, practically pounding on his window. The rain splattered against the wall. He heard Snap whimper loudly. He looked down and he saw Snap was staring at the window in fear. Realizing instantly why Snap was so frightened, Mr. Wilter moved towards the window. He pulled the blinds over and then pulled the curtains together, hiding the rain from Snap's sights. It took a little while, but Snap soon calmed down a little, his breathing returning to...well as normal as it was before.

Mr. Wilter lowered Snap on the bed, laying him on his back. He rose up, looking down at Snap to make sure the thick blanket remained around him. He then turned around and went over to his closet. He rummaged through his stuff, looking through the few boxes he had pushed up in here. He soon found what he was looking for. He pulled it out and unfolded the matt. It was a little dusty. He wiped off the dust the best he could. He got up and he moved back towards the bed.

He paused for a moment. He thought about perhaps just laying down here instead of carrying Snap downstairs. The sound of the storm was slightly more muffled here and a bed was more comfortable than the chair. He looked behind him, towards the dresser in front of his bed. He had a small television there. Though there had been some issues with the power thanks to the storm, it was pretty stable right now. He could turn on the TV and put on some station with some comedy or something relaxing to help the zoner remain calm and keep his mind off of his pain and the storm itself.

Mr. Wilter moved over to the bed. He lifted Snap up into one of his arms. With his other, he pulled the blankets on the bed back. He climbed in, pulling the covers over him. His hand rummaged through and located the remote control for the TV. He flipped it on and quickly turned down the volume as loud noise bothered the sick zoner. He changed the channel until he found something suitable on. He then set the remote down and put his other arm around Snap. He adjusted himself so that he was laying down on his back with his head and shoulders sitting upwards against the headboard.

After that, he removed the thick blanket around Snap, the blanket on his bed being just as thick and would do just fine. He placed Snap on him, laying the zoner on his stomach across his chest, his head resting near his shoulder and upper chest. Mr. Wilter pulled the nice, warm blanket over them, covering as much of Snap as he could. He looped an arm across the zoner's back to provide support while his other picked up the cold matt and pressed it against the zoner's forehead. Snap gave a shudder, but soon relaxed, giving a sigh of contentment.

Mr. Wilter looked ahead at the television, watching the show that was going on. It didn't do much to get his mind off of what he did, but laying here with him, the television on, it did seem to help Snap out mentally. The zoner was noticeably calmer and more comfortable. He snuggled up against him a little more, his undamaged arm looped around him. Mr. Wilter smiled softly at him and he looked out towards the window. He hoped Rudy would get here soon.

sss

"Okay, we're finally here." Penny said, clutching the umbrella over her head. She tried to keep herself steady as the wind blowed hard. "Of all the times Mr. Wilter had to kidnap Snap..." She shut her mouth and sighed. "How do you want to do this?"

Rudy didn't answer at first. He was holding onto his umbrella as tightly as he could. The wind was stronger than he thought it was going to be. He knew it was bad, but he didn't realize just how bad. It made him wish that he had accepted his parents' offer to just drive them down here. Even if it would have made it difficult to sneak inside, at least they wouldn't be soaking wet right now.

To make matters worse, they were in the rain longer than necessary. They did a loop around the neighborhood to come in from behind. Mr. Wilter didn't know that he knew he had Snap. So he would be expecting him from the front. He wouldn't think to look behind. And that was where he and Penny came in from. The loop involved taking a longer route, and in this kind of storm, that was not exactly pleasant. The only reason his parents let them walk here at all was because it was pretty close, so they wouldn't be exposed to the weather that long.

There was the manner regarding Penny. Rudy said that he could convince Mr. Wilter that Penny could be helpful as well. More heads were better. Mrs. Sanchez was skeptical of letting Penny walk outside in the rain, but she did ultimately agree with Rudy's parents that it would be fine. The storm was bad, but with how close Mr. Wilter's house was, it was manageable. It would not take them long to get there. Even with the detour, Rudy and Penny made good time. Strong wind and rain was a good motivator to make them move faster.

Rudy soon stood next to Penny. He gripped this umbrella tigthly, gritting his teeth as the wind picked up for a few seconds. Once the wind died down, he looked over at Penny and said, "If I can just get up there, I could try to open up the window and get inside." He paused for a moment, and then added, "I'll try to find something in that room to pull you up."

Penny nodded her head. "Sounds like a plan. Risky, but..." She bit her lip. "We need to get Snap back..."

Rudy nodded his head. "Yeah... But don't worry, we will." He smiled the best he could. He looked down at the thick water-proof bag Penny brought with her. "We can have Snap ride in there. I had to zip him up in there, especially since after what Terry did to him." Rudy's mind froze for a second as he recalled how Snap had been captured by that woman. He shuddered a little. That was an unpleasant memory. Not only was Snap kidnapped, but ChalkZone nearly got exposed...

"I'm sure he'll understand." Penny said, cutting him from his thoughts. "He'll know that it's for his own good. He won't get angry with you for putting him in there." She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Snap will know you are just trying to help him."

Rudy nodded his head slowly. "Yeah." He knew Penny was right. Despite feeling guilt of putting his friend in a zip bag, he had to agree with Penny. Snap would understand, and it wouldn't be for that long. He turned his head back up to the window. "We need to get up there. But how?"

"The pipe won't be a good idea. It'll be too slippery in the rain." Penny pointed out. "And it's bent. If you try climbing on it again, it could fall and break. You could get hurt."

Rudy winced a little as he looked over at the pipe. It was bent a little more than he thought it was. Him climbing up had caused this. It didn't break and was still mostly in tact. But if he climbed up it again, would he even reach the window in time? Or would the pipe give out? It might not be a severe drop, but a drop from the right angle can be fatal, even from a low height. They would need some other way of getting up there. But how?

He searched his mind for an answer. There wasn't much time to think. There wasn't much time to plan. He had to act fast. He looked all around, ignoring the wind and the rain the best he can as he tried to analyze the situation. He didn't know how long he could stay out here before the worst of the storm would hit. Had this happened during more fair weather, he'd have nothing to worry about. The only good thing about this storm is that it's keeping that annoying neighbor in his home, so they don't have him to worry about anymore.

He kept trying to think of a solution. There was nothing else here that they could climb on. There were no nearby objects to help him either. He thought about sneaking in the back, but he didn't trust himself. He was certain that he was going to make enough noise to alert Mr. Wilter, no matter how quiet he was. Plus he had no idea what the layout of that building was like. How could he be certain he was going the right way? How could he be certain he wasn't lost?

He glanced over at Penny, giving her a somewhat defeated look. This lasted only a few seconds. Penny looked confused when Rudy's eyes suddenly widened big. He stared intently at her, eyeing her up and down. He understood he was probably looking creepy right now, but he didn't care. Penny... she just might be the key to getting Snap out... He knew she would be strong enough. She did lift him and Snap up once, when they were trying to stop Vinnie.

He kept looking at her, eyeing her legs and body length, and then tried to figure out the length of her arms. He swiveled his head towards the window. He ran the calculations in his mind, mentally figuring out if he was going to be able to get up there or not with Penny's help. He soon decided it might be a bit of a stretch, but it was worth taking. They had little time to fool around. Snap was in trouble. They needed to get him out of there.

Rudy looked over at Penny and said, "Can you lift me up to the window?" Penny looked at him like he was crazy. "Oh come on, Penny!" Rudy held out his hand in gesture. "You lifted me and Snap up before! I'm sure you can lift me up!" He looked up at the window. "I think if you push me up high enough, I'll be able to grab onto the ledge of that window."

"How do you think you'll get it open?" Penny asked.

"I thought I felt the window move a little when I fell down earlier, before the storm started." Rudy said. "The window might be pretty easy for me to open." He walked over towards the window. "And besides..I can't think of any other way we can get up there."

"Okay... But I'm not going to like this." Penny said, concern laced over her voice. "If you fall down..."

"It will be fine, Penny." Rudy said, giving her a reassuring smile. "Trust me."

Though Penny smiled back, Rudy could tell she was uncertain about this whole thing. He couldn't blame her. He was about to take another risk, and this time, he was dragging Penny into it. He could accidentally hurt her in the process, if he fell down. But what else could they do? They needed to save Snap and this was the only way they could do it. Any other option would just get them caught or hurt worse.

Penny moved over to Rudy. The two of them, though reluctant, set their umbrellas on the ground. They ignored the chill they felt as the rain pounded on them. Penny got behind Rudy and helped him up onto her shoulders. The process was tricky, but they eventually did it. She gripped his legs tightly as he stood on her shoulders. She wobbled back and forth a little as she attempted to regain her footing. Once she did, she moved over towards the window. Soon she reached it and she pressed herself against it, using it as support.

Rudy felt Penny push up on his feet the best she could. She moved him as close to the window as she could. He could hear her grind her teeth against each other. He could feel her body shaking. This was taking a lot of strength, and though he was impressed by it, especially when she managed to do this with both him and Snap at the same time, he tried to hurry himself up so Penny didn't fall down from overuse of her energy.

Penny pushed him up even more, and soon he could touch the bottom part of the window ledge. He gritted his teeth as he reached up more, practically standing on his toes by now. He eventually managed to grab onto the ledge. He pulled himself up. Keeping himself steady the best he could with one hand, he reached up with the other to grab the window. It was then he realized something about the window he hadn't before. And the realization sent a cold chill through his body.

"P-Penny..." Rudy said in a quiet voice. He looked down at her. He could see her concerned face. "The window...I-It's opened..."

Penny gave a sharp gasp at this, alarm written on her face. "What..? No..."

Rudy wished he was joking. He wished that he was wrong about this. But there was no denying it. The window had been opened up. Quite a ways, too, at that. The top of the window, which was bent at a diagonal position, was sleek with rain, telling him this had been opened up for a while. Rudy felt his heart twist in knots at this realization. Snap hadn't been far from the window. He...he couldn't be..no...

Tears forming in his eyes, Rudy grabbed onto the window and started to pull himself up faster. The realization of this grave detail made him work faster to get himself into the room. His feet kicked frantically against the house, struggling to get a foot hold. He eventually managed to climb through the window, feeling it bend upwards as his weight pushed it down. He hit the ground with a thud and he rubbed his head. He looked up at the window, noticing it was now mostly closed due to his act of climbing through it.

Rudy brushed himself off and looked around the room. He didn't see Snap anywhere. He could see the chain laying on the ground, the metal caked in blood. The sight of it horrified Rudy. That thing had been inside Snap not too long ago. Just how long had it been in there? And where was Snap? He had seen him just a couple hours ago. He was here, in this room. Mr. Wilter couldn't have moved him; why would he if he didn't know that he knew he had Snap? Something happened...but what?

Rudy walked through the room a little, looking left and right. He couldn't see any sign of his friend. This room wasn't that large, and there wasn't any places he coud hide for long. He thought that maybe Snap used his 2D powers to get away from Mr. Wilter. But he didn't think that was a possibility. With his arm that badly hurt, Snap would be in pain any time it touched a surface, even in his flat mode. But...but where could he possibly be..? Either Mr. Wilter moved him, or...

Rudy stepped on something soft. He looked down at it. It was some kind of towel, just laying there in the middle of the room. Rudy was confused. Why would Mr. Wilter set a towel here? He reached down and picked it up. He examined the towel, looking it over. Then he saw something that nearly made him scream.

No...no it couldn't be...

It had to be a mistake...

No..please..not Snap..please...

There, clinging to the towel, were colorful chalk marks. He reached down with a shaky finger to confirm it. He moved his finger along the color and pulled back. He rubbed it together between his fingers. He identified it as chalk. This realization struck him like a freight train. He wanted to deny it. He wanted to think of any other explanation. But who was he kidding? There was only one thing that could explain this.

Mr. Wilter...killed Snap. He had opened up the window more after he and Penny went home after the unpleasantry with the neighbor. He must have been watching them through that room and was just hiding himself very well. Or he saw from a lower level and was not pleased with them 'meddling with his plans' to save a 'rude cartoon', as he would put it.

Rudy's mind was numb as the implications of what happened settled in. Mr. Wilter had seen him and Penny, and had gone up here to make sure they didn't interfere with his plans. Instead of using Snap as bait, he simply decided to get rid of him. He had opened up the window and let Snap get dissolved by the rain. Rudy took in a shuddering breath as tears stremed down his face. No...please...no... He shook his head in denial as he stared at the towel, which contained the remains of his best friend.

The world around him went dark. He couldn't hear Penny calling for him. He couldn't hear the storm raging on outside, although it was a perfect metaphor for how he was feeling right now. He was only aware of the towel in his hands, the colored marks which came from Snap. He couldn't imagine how much pain he was in when he died... and he wasn't there to stop it. His mind flashed to the last look he ever got from Snap. That weak smile of hope... Snap was counting on him...and he let him down.

Overcome with emotion, Rudy dropped down to his knees. His body trembled as he cried hard, holding the towel against himself. Why didn't he move faster? Why didn't he think faster? Why didn't he ignore the neighbor and get Snap out when he had the chance? These questions, and more, floated around his head, refusing to let him go. Sobs wracked through his body, emotion sending ice through his heart and veins. It couldn't be true..no...

As Mr. Wilter entered his mind again, his blood slowly started to boil. That man... That evil man... He was going to pay... Rudy was not going to let him get away with murder... He would make sure that horrible man never hurt anyone again. He lifted up his head, his eyes still dripping with tears. He looked over towards the door as he took in a sniffling breath. He quietly made a resolve.

"I'm going to get you for this, Mr. Wilter..." Rudy growled, his voice uncharacteristically dark. His blood reached its boiling point, burning his insides, especially his stomach. "You can count on that..."


	8. Consequences

"Snap is...dead."

Penny's eyes flew open at that. She stared up at Rudy in shock. She felt a cold wave strike her, more chilling than the air around her. She looked at his face carefully, trying to see any sign of her mishearing that statement. But Rudy's face held heartbreak, stronger than she had seen before. She took in a shaking breath, her mind swirling.

When she finally found her voice, she said, "Wh-What...?"

Rudy looked at her, his eyes glossy with tears streaming down his face. He looked like he had been crying for a while. He sniffled and wiped away his tears. "H-H-He's dead... Mr. Wilter killed him..." His voice grew darker as he snarled. "He killed him..."

Penny couldn't help but shiver as Rudy said that. The way he spoke it...it was so unlike him. She had never heard Rudy sound this hostile before. This was worse than the time he wrote that poison pen letter. Rudy sounded so..malicious. It was uncomfortable hearing her best friend talk in such an aggressive manner. Even if it was just three words so far, the tone and expression told volumes. Rudy was very angry and he had every right to be. But his disposition...it was starting to scare her.

She hoped that he would try to keep himself under control, especially if he turned out to be wrong. There was...there was a chance that Rudy was overreacting. He might have saw something that just looked like Snap and jumped to conclusions. Assuming was not a smart thing to do in situations like this. For Snap, it would be downright dangerous if Rudy thought he was dead and then did something that made the situation worse. If Snap is still alive, Rudy should be looking for him, not sitting down in that unfinished bathroom and seething about Mr. Wilter.

Penny knew she had to be the voice of reason. She knew what Rudy was like when he was angry enough and he set his mind to something. She remembered the poison pen letter incident quite well, when he went through with sending that letter no matter what she did to talk sense into him. And that was over him thinking she wasn't invited to a party. This...this was much more serious. With him believing Mr. Wilter murdered Snap, who knows what Rudy might do.. She had to make sure that he didn't do anything he would regret.

"R-Rudy..." Penny spoke in a soft voice. She looked up at him, reaching a head towards him slightly. "Are..are you sure that he...?"

"Yes! I am! Do you think I would fucking make some shit up like this?!" Rudy snapped at her, baring his teeth, hostility glowing on his face. "Why the damn hell would I lie about this?!"

Penny gasped and took a step back from the house. She stared at Rudy in shock and hurt. He had never spoken to her like that before. This was really affecting him. Penny wasn't sure if Snap really was dead or not, but Rudy certainly think he was, and his attitude was reflecting that. Using curse words wasn't something Rudy would do. For him to use them... She hoped that his attitude wouldn't extend far beyond the use of some inappropriate words.

She watched as Rudy glared down at her. It wasn't a look of hate, at least not directed towards her. Rudy was growling softly, his eyes wide and pupils dilated. It was a look of hate and rage geared towards Mr. Wilter. Rudy had that vengeful look on his face, one that told Penny that, if Rudy could and had the willpower, he would rip Mr. Wilter into shreds. It was a horrifying thought. Rudy was never one to wish harm on others. This belief that Snap was dead...could it be pushing Rudy over the brink? As angry as she was with Mr. Wilter, she refused to jump to conclusions unless she had seen the evidence for herself.

She would also need to make sure Rudy didn't let his anger get the better of him. She would be devastated, even more so than she was now, if Snap really was gone. The thought his life being ended so abruptly like that, especially after they had so much fun the other day, it was heartbreaking. He didn't even get a chance to say goodbye.

Rudy's expression softened up, clearly realizing what he had just said. He bit his lip and turned his head to the side a bit. He opened his mouth for a second and then shut it. He kept his head turned away, his expression softening up into a look of guilt. He sighed and he looked back at Penny.

"I'm..sorry. I..I didn't mean to yell at you like that." Rudy said. He lowered his head a little in shame. Tears dripped from his eyes. "Its..it's just that..I can't believe that Mr. Wilter...I thought I could trust him enough to..." He took in a shaky breath. He let out a few soft cries. "I can't believe he would do something like this..." His voice was soft, a harsh whisper.

"Rudy..." Penny spoke as gently as she could. She wanted to pacify Rudy. She wanted to make sure that Rudy stayed as calm as possible, or else his anger would drive his actions. This wasn't the time for that. "It might be a mistake.. Maybe you just misinterpreted something wrong and.."

"No I didn't!" Rudy said through clenched teeth. There was more sorrow and heartbreak in his voice at the moment than angry. "Snap's dead... He's really dead... and it's because of that monster!"

Penny looked at him sympathetically. She couldn't blame him for feeling this way. Whatever he had seen in that room..it must have really convinced him that Snap was dead. It was one thing to not being invited to a party, or losing a pumpkin to Reggie. This was someone's life they were talking about. Snap was their best friend. And if Mr. Wilter really did kill Snap... Penny could only hope that Rudy did not unleash the fires of hell on Mr. Wilter, lest he land himself in trouble.

Penny knew she had to be in that room. She had to see for herself if Rudy was right. She needed to see the evidence he had seen regarding the condition of their friend. Once she had seen for herself if Snap really was dead..well they could discuss the next course of action after they headed back to Rudy's house. It would be too dangerous to discuss anything near this man's house, especially if he was willing to kill...

"Can you lift me up?" Penny asked.

Rudy eyed her, tears obscuring his vision. "Wh-Why..?"

Penny paused for a moment. Then she said, "I..I want to see for myself."

Rudy's eyes widened. He clenched his teeth together and turned his head. He shut his eyes for a short time, sucking in a few shaky breaths. It looked as though he was struggling not to cry so hard, but found it impossible. His shoulders shook with clear emotion. He looked back at Penny, staring at her with an expression that was almost pleading.

"I...I don't know if you want to..." Rudy started to say.

Penny interrupted him. "Yeah I know. But...I need to see this for myself, Rudy. I...I need to see..." She lowered her gaze a little. A few tears escaped her eyes as the possibility of Snap being dead plagued her mind. "I just need to be sure..."

Rudy stared at her. Any sign of anger was gone for him...for the time being. Penny wasn't sure how long that would last. He turned away again, his eyes narrowed in contemplation. Then he looked back at Penny and said, "Okay.. I'll pull you up."

With that, Rudy pushed against the window. He positioned it so that it was as horizontal as he could make it. He then walked away. Penny waited for him. It took only about a minute for Rudy to return. He had been looking for something to pull her up with and his search was successful. He held a long pipe in his hand. He squeezed himself partially out of the window and then lowered the pipe to Penny. She reached up and grabbed onto it with both hands.

She held on tightly as Rudy started to pull her up. As he pulled up, Penny gained some traction on the wall with her feet. She planted them against them and 'walked up' in rhythm with Rudy pulling her. The rain was making everything so slippery and it was hard keeping her grip on the pole. But she managed to do a good enough job that she didn't slip and fall.

Soon she reached the window's edge. She hesitated for a moment, and then she reached out and grabbed the window's edge. She held on tightly. Rudy back up a little, pulling her in more. Penny's feet slipped and she fell. She nearly let out a scream as she started to fall backwards. Rudy rushed forward, his eyes wide, and he grabbed her arm. He manged to steady her. Rudy and Penny stared at each other for a few moments, and then, slowly, Rudy pulled Penny into the unfinished bathroom. Penny dropped in with a thud. Rubbing her head, she got up and looked around.

She was immediately struck wtih confusion. She had expected to see Snap's body here or some indication of him being here. She didn't smell anything unusual either. No death or blood or decay. Nothing that she would expect with something grave such as Snap being dead. She wondered if her thoughts were right and he really did overreact.

"I don't see Snap anywhere, Rudy." Penny said. She looked over at Rudy. "Where...?"

Rudy made a gesture with his head, swinging it to the side. Penny stared at him for a few seconds, confused. He did it again, and this time, Penny took note of the direction he swung that head in. She turned her in the direction of that gesture. At first, she still didn't see anything. She looked back at him, and she that his pupils were pointing in a direction, not at her, but at something on the ground. Penny followed that gaze and then she saw it.

There, laying on the ground not far from them, was a towel. She looked back and forth between it and Rudy, making sure that the boy really was looking at this. She bit her lip, feeling her heart clench tightly. She, slowly, began to make her way over to the towel. Although she wasn't certain what she was going to find, she could feel her heart pounding in anxiety. The thought that this towel might... She shook the thought out of her head, telling herself to look first before jumping ot conclusions.

Penny soon reached the towel. She lowered herself on the ground and picked it up. She held it in her hands, at first spotting nothing out of the ordinary. Then she saw there were some stains on it. She readjusted the towel so she could take a better look. Soon she could see a multi-color stain. She couldn't tell what the original color was; the colors were all distorted and mixed in. She reached down with one finger and she moved it across the spot. She pulled her finger back and looked at it. She moved it between her fingers and her eyes widened when she realized what it was.

Chalk...

But why would there be chalk in here? The towel was on the ground, and Penny knew that Mr. Wilter wouldn't see a reason to use chalk in here. Not that he would use chalk to draw anyway, as he hates cartoons. Unless he was secretly an artist who only hated cartoons because he wanted his show to be number one on public access, which she seriously doubted, there was no chance that this chalk was there because of some art the old teacher decided to do. And that left only one option in her head.

It was from Snap... She sucked in a shaky breath at this realization. It looked as though Rudy had been right. Or was he? Penny was not able to stop the tears from flowing from her eyes. The emotional toll was starting to grip her. But in the midst of that, she had to wonder if this really was Snap. The colors did seem a little...off. For one, she found no speck of blue or white, both of which were their friend's signature colors. She could see other colors, like pink and green, kind of, but no blue or white.

"Rudy, are you sure this is from Snap?" Penny asked. He looked over at her, giving an expression of shock. She quickly added, "I mean...these colors don't look like they would have come from Snap. I see no blue or white or..."

"That's probably because Snap was in pieces when Mr. Wilter washed him away..." Rudy said bitterly. The anger was starting to come back now. "I'm sure that's what he did.. Just cut him up into pieces like he was some kind of fucking cake!"

"Rudy..." Penny said gently.

Rudy opened his mouth to say something, but he quickly caught himself. He stared off in another direction for a few seconds. Then he sighed and lowered his head. "Sorry..." He turned his head back at her. "I just don't think there's any other explanation. That chalk...it had to have come from Snap. Wilter doesn't draw on the ground. He doesn't draw, period. And Snap was in this room..." He looked away. "That has to be it..." He glared hatefully towards the door. "He will pay for that..."

"Before you do anything, let's at least make one hundred percent sure." Penny said, doing her best to keep her calm voice to try to ease Rudy down a little. "Let's not do anything we might regret. Let's do a search around this house or..."

Rudy shook his head. "No..." He growled, baring his teeth. "I know what happened...and I am going to do something about it..."

"Rudy." Penny said sternly, narrowing her eyes. "You shouldn't jump to conclusions like that. You need to find evidence before you..."

At this, Rudy snagged the towel from the ground. He practically shoved it in her face, making her look at the chalk marks on it. "Here's your fucking proof!" He snarled, his eyes blazing with anger. Penny cringed back, her eyes wide. Rudy blinked and he snapped his head back in horror. He looked at the cloth, which he felt held the remains of Snap. He dropped it on the ground and lowered his head. "Sorry." His voice still held bitterness, but he was noticeably calmer than before. "Let's just get going...

Penny watched as he moved towards the window. She bit her lip. Snap's supposed death was taking a toll on him mentally and she couldn't blame him. She couldn't be sure if Snap really was dead or not. There was a good chance he was still alive. If only Rudy would listen to reason and search this house... Snap might be in here, waiting for them.

From his expression and attitude, she had her doubts she could convince Rudy to search the house. He was too determined to get revenge on Mr. Wilter. This side of Rudy frightened her. There were rare times when he would take his 'seek justice' trait and blow it out of proportion. And this was one of those times. He was so certain that Mr. Wilter killed Snap, and the scary thing is.. he might be right. Penny recalled in detail what Rudy said regarding Snap's condition. Mr. Wilter hadn't treated Snap very well, and if he was in that room with the window open, he could have been killed with the rain. Even if it were just an accident, Snap would still be dead because of him, and it wouldn't lessen Rudy's anger much.

Penny held out her hand towards Rudy, moving towards him slowly. "Wait." Rudy stopped and looked over at her, that same expression from before still on his face. "Don't you want to still look? We could at least do a quick sweep and.."

Rudy shook his head. "No, it would be too dangerous." His voice was low, defeated, and a tinge angry. "Mr. Wilter knows we were coming, and he would be waiting for us." He turned his head away, his eyes focusing on nothing. "He would catch us pretty quickly. And when he does... I'm sure he's going to want to ask us about ChalkZone."

"We don't know if..." Penny started to say.

"Why else would he have kidnapped Snap?" Rudy said, his voice raising slightly more in volume When Penny couldn't say anything, he replied, "Yeah, I thought not... There's no reason other than to get information about ChalkZone." He closed his eyes, tears dripping from them. "I guess he thought Snap was 'expendable'... Or he's teaching us a lesson.."

Penny wanted to say something, anything. She wanted to reassure Rudy, to tell him that there was a chance Snap was still alive. But she found she could say nothing. What could she tell him? She had no counterargument. She knew that he could very well be right. Though she didn't want to believe it until they got a confession from Mr. Wilter, she had nothing she could say that would make Rudy reconsider. There, on the ground, was supposed proof of their friend's death, and Mr. Wilter's treatment of Snap, the kidnapping, she could see why Rudy would have a hard time believing anything else.

And Rudy was right. They couldn't simply wander through the house, especially not without having come through the front door. Mr. Wilter is going to wonder how they got in, and why they were exploring his house without his permission. That would make him angrier. She knew that he couldn't attempt to hurt them, but he could hurt Snap if he was still alive, and if he wasn't, Mr. Wilter could threaten more of their zoner friends. Who knows what he might do...

"Come on, Penny... Let's get out of here.." Rudy said softly. "We'll just tell our parents that Mr. Wilter just wanted...I don't know, help with his laundry or something.."

Penny would have chuckled if it weren't for the seriousness of the situation. She would have thought that Rudy would come up with a better cover story, but given his mood, it was understandable why he would have a hard time thinking of something creative and believable. She looked towards the door of the room. She still thought that exploring would be their best option, if they could figure a way to do it through stealth. Who knows? Snap might be in a room just down the hall, waiting for them.

Yet, it would be too risky. If they started to rummage through this man's house without a plan, they might end up making things worse for Snap, should he still be alive, and themselves. They needed to regroup in Rudy's room and discuss matters further there. They could use the magic chalk to go into ChalkZone and talk privately there. Maybe they could even spy on Mr. Wilter using the wall in his bedroom, like they did when they went to Rapsheeba's New Place. She would relay the idea to him when they get back.

"Okay, Rudy..." Penny knew it was useless to argue with him at this point. She followed the distraught boy towards the window. She then remembered something as she got near the window. "Yeah, we should head back. Mom wanted to go home around this time. I'll meet you in ChalkZone later so we can talk more about what we are going to do."

Rudy nodded his head stiffly. "Yeah, that sounds like a plan."

"But..." Rudy stared at Penny, waiting for her to continue. "I want you to promise me one thing."

Rudy replied, "Okay. What?"

"Please don't do anything crazy." Penny narrowed her eyes a little, pointing a finger in his direction. "Remember the last time when you acted without thinking. I don't think we want a worse version of poison pen letter, do we?" Rudy stared at her, and then rapidly shook his head. "Good. Meet me in ChalkZone in one hour. And remember, don't do anything rash between that time."

"Okay, Penny..." Rudy said. He gave a small, broken smile to Penny. "I..I promise."

As the two of them moved closer to the window, Penny's thoughts shifted to Snap. She hoped he was still alive somehow. She hoped that their decision to leave wasn't inadvertantly causing things to get worse. And she hoped that, in the end, everything works out. It just had to.

sss

Mr. Wilter was confused. Where was Rudy? He thought he would have been here by now. It had been about half an hour. It doesn't take that long to get down to his house. Even if Rudy were crazy enough to walk in the rain, that walk should not take half an hour.

Well it was true that perhaps they were still discussing things at home. Maybe the boy's parents were trying to figure a way to get him down there. But still, it shouldn't take this long. It was very simple. They either drive or they walked. He also said that this was an emergency. He would think that they would show a little more urgency and get down here faster.

Mr. Wilter knew Snap was not going to last much longer. Not without proper help. He would take Snap over to Rudy's house himself, but he had no means to. None of his bags were water proof. Snap would die if he used them. If any of them were water proof, then there was a hole in it. Most of his bags were old. He could opt for a garbage bag if he was absolutely desperate, but he wanted to avoid that if possible. It wouldn't exactly be the best way of travel, though a bag wouldn't be much better. He would rather just carry him over, but he knew that wouldn't be possible while it was still storming out.

A loud thunderclap and a flash of lightning got his attention. The rumble went through his chest, making him shudder. The thunderclap was so loud, piercing through his soul. He heard a soft whimper below him. He saw Snap's body shivering in fear. The zoner cuddled up closer to him, distressed by the loud sound. The man pulled him closer, pressing his head against the zoner's. He gently stroked Snap from between his shoulders down the middle of his back. He repeated this gesture as he held the shivering zoner to him.

As more thunderclaps sounded out, Mr. Wilter held him even tighter, and continued his reassuring gesture. Slowly, Snap started to calm down. His shivering soon came to a stop and his whimpering became quieter. Then, after a couple more minutes, Snap became tranquil in his arms. Mr. Wilter gave a small smile as the zoner was once more calm in his arms. As the storm continued to roll, Mr. Wilter continued to gently rub his back, reassuring him that everything was going to be okay. Snap responded by cuddling up a little closer, his body curling up a bit.

Mr. Wilter hoped everything would be okay. He wasn't sure why Rudy was taking to long to get here. He got the message, didn't he? The only thing he could think of was that he and his parents were somewhere else. But where would they go in this weather? It just didn't make any sense. They wouldn't be out in this storm. They would be at home. Who in their right minds would go out in something like this? There had to be a reason why Rudy hadn't arrived yet. He didn't even get a call yet. Perhaps he should call again.

But Snap looked so comfortable right now, laying on top of him like this. It seemed the zoner was finally getting some sleep. Or the closest to sleep he was going to get with the pain in his arm. Snap was so at peace right now, he didn't want to disturb it. But his health was on the line... He made a note to himself to set Snap down to get the phone if Rudy didn't show up in the next fifteen minutes. That was plenty of extra time for the kid to show up. He hoped Rudy would arrive in that time. He wished he could have been more specific, that he could have said he had Snap, but...that would have complicated things. And just how was he going to explain that to Rudy's parents anyway?

Mr. Wilter then realized there might be a reason why Rudy hadn't come yet. He thought back to the noise he heard earlier, before he had the revelation regarding Snap. He had thought it was a bunch of pranksters, but...could it have been Rudy? Was it possible that Rudy already knew what he had done...?

Mr. Wilter wasn't sure of the likelihood of that. He had captured Snap while he was away from those two. They hadn't seen it. So he wasn't sure how either of them could have found out. Well there was the chance that someone else spotted him and relayed the information to Rudy. That would explain how he would know he took Snap even though he didn't actually see it happen. Mr. Wilter reminded himself it was Halloween night. There were a lot of people out. Someone could have spotted him from one of the nearby houses and he wouldn't even know it.

The thought of Rudy knowing he had Snap worried him. Was that why he wasn't showing up? Was Rudy suspicious of him? Well he certainly couldn't blame the boy. If Rudy really did know he took Snap, he had every right to be angry with him. He had kidnapped his friend for crying out loud. He had broken the boy's trust by dragging one of his pals away from him. He wasn't sure just how much Rudy knew, but if he knew at least about the kidnapping, that alone was enough for Rudy to be suspicious of him, and not be so willing to come over.

That was going to be a problem. Snap needed to get back into ChalkZone, but he can't do that without magic chalk. Mr. Wilter had none and he wasn't about to walk into the storm to try to steal one from Rudy. That would be too insane and just work to establish further how untrustworthy he was. He also didn't want to leave Snap alone. He had left him alone most of the time here. He wanted to avoid doing that again, and wanted to stay with Snap until Rudy came...if he came at all. Mr. Wilter bit his lip. If Snap didn't get back into ChalkZone soon, he would...

And he knew it was going to be all his fault. If Snap died, his blood would be on his hands. If he hadn't kidnapped him, if he hadn't put that stupid cuff in him, Snap wouldn't be in this mess. All he could do now was try to fix things by returning Snap. But if Rudy knows he kidnapped him, and if the boy didn't trust him anymore... How was he going to fix things? Then again, that would be his own fault as well. He gave Rudy a good reason not to trust him. This was all going to be on his head.

Mr. Wilter turned his attention back to Snap. By some miracle, the zoner had fallen asleep in his arms. The zoner's mouth was partially open, taking in small breaths as his eyes remained closed. This gave Mr. Wilter more of an incentive not to move around too much. The zoner probably didn't get too much sleep with that cuff in his arm. He deserved to get a bit of a rest. He would just have to be careful when he reached for his cellphone. Too much shifting around could irritate him and cause him to wake up.

He lightly stroked Snap on his head as he slept peacefully. Mr. Wilter gave him another small smile. He was glad to see the zoner having a bit of a peace of mind right now. He certainly needed after... After what he put him through... Mr. Wilter bit his lip, feeling his heart tighten painfully again. The only thing that kept him from getting too upset in that moment was the act of caressing Snap's head, and the feel of the zoner's warmth against him. He kept his eye on Snap. He knew he couldn't focus too much on his mistake. Right now, the most important thing to do was make sure Snap got back home.

Mr. Wilter would think of a punishment for himself later. He was thinking of turning himself in. He made a mistake. He kidnapped someone. His actions nearly killed an innocent child. He needed to own up to his mistakes. He needed to turn himself in and face jailtime. He repay Rudy, Penny, and Snap this way. Spending time in jail for what he did would be a good way to start to make it up to them for kidnapping and hurting Snap. He wanted to work towards rebuilding any trust he may have shattered with them, but that would come slowly. Well he was prepared to do what it took.

He soon realized that seven minutes had passed and still no sign of Rudy. Although there was still a bit of time, knowing what kind of condition Snap was in, this caused him to become even more worried. He looked towards the window, watching as the rain poured down. He then glanced back down at Snap. His condition was getting worse by the minute, he knew. He needed to get to the hospital and fast.

At least he hadn't thrown up again, so that was one good sign. Snap had vomited a few times in the room he was kept in. He cleaned some of it up, but he didn't manage to get all of it. Ever since he took Snap out of the room, he hadn't done that again. He wondered if it was the fear and the chill of the room that did it. The room wasn't the most welcoming and he wasn't exactly all that friendly with Snap. Maybe him treating Snap better and keeping him warm helped to stave off the vomiting a bit. He hoped that was the case. Snap would get more and more dehydrated if he kept throwing up like that.

He felt Snap stir. He wondered if Snap was going to wake up again. He wouldn't be surprised. The zoner must be in a lot of pain after having that cuff in him for so long. And that infection certainly wasn't making things better for him. Mr. Wilter winced as he recalled just how swollen it was. He was horrified at how a single act like that was enough to send Snap spiraling downward like this. If he hadn't done something so cruel like that, Snap would be in much better shape right now. It was all his fault this happened.

Snap shifted a little and his mouth opened up. His face contorted slightly. Then, a second later, he gave a loud sneeze. Snap's mouth twitched again. He breathed in a little shakingly. Another painful sounding sneeze escaped the zoner's mouth. His eyes blinked open a little. The zoner gave a quick glance up at him before moving his head down once more. The zoner gave a sigh of contentment as he rubbed his face against the man's shoulder and drifted off again. Mr. Wilter stared at this for a few seconds before he resumed running his hand along Snap's head, moving down to his back a few times.

Snap's sneezing sounded worse than it ever did before. If he didn't know his condition was worsening, well now he knew. That infection had time to grow and fester. It was wreaking havoc on the blue boy's body, and his sneezing was a gateway into just how serious it was. That sneezing made him wish even harder than before that he could do something to help Snap. Anything... But he was helpless to make him feel better. He can keep him here, nice and warm and dry, but it's not going to fight off the illness that he has. The only way for the sick zoner to survive was ChalkZone.

Mr. Wilter glanced towards the television, which was still on very low to the point where he could hardly hear the voices. He recognized this show, and it was always on at the same time. It was almost over, and once it was, it would have been the fifteen minutes he was willing to wait. He bit his lip. If he had to call again, and it looked like he will, he'll try to see if he can talk to Rudy directly. He could tell him the truth, apologize, and give Snap back. Rudy may not trust him after what he did, but still, he had to do something.

Giving another glance at the zoner, Mr. Wilter decided that, if Rudy doesn't show up by the time this show ends, he'll give another call. If someone picks up, he'll see about talking to Rudy himself. He needs Rudy to come over here as soon as possible. Maybe, if he spoke to him on the phone, he could convince him to come over. He resolved to do just that.

sss

"Hello? Mr. Wilter?" Mrs. Tabootie said.

Rudy heard his mother's voice. He crept towards the stairs, keeping his body low. Mr. Wilter had called again. He narrowed his eyes as anger filled up inside his stomach. That man... He had kidnapped his friend..he murdered him... and now he had the gall to call him again? Why can't he just leave him alone?

His mother's voice came again. This time she sounded a little concerned. "Sorry, Rudy's not available to come over.. Oh he wanted me to tell you, he wasn't able to get over because of the storm. He said he's going to try to come over whenever the rain stops."

Rudy recalled how, when he and Penny came back, they had to find something to tell his folks. He didn't want to bring up anything they found out while over there, and he wasn't in the mood to come up with a elaborate lie for what Mr. Wilter wanted. So they just went with the 'it was too stormy' thing. Luckily his folks did not question it further. He didn't know if he could explain why it took them so long to get back home.

Mrs. Sanchez had to get going, so Penny was not able to stay. They left a few minutes after he had gotten home. After she left, he became aware of a sickening sensation in his stomach. He felt like he wanted to throw up. His parents noticed this, but he dismissed it as just having ate something weird earlier that day. He didn't want them to worry about him.

Rudy spent the last fifteen minutes or so in his bedroom. He wasn't in the mood to really talk to anyone. He just laid down on his back the whole time, staring up at the ceiling. His mind still raced with thoughts on what had happened to Snap. His eyes had welled up with tears, and he spent a good ten minutes crying, mourning the loss of his friend. While he agreed with Penny something else might have happened, in his mind, the evidence was just too clear to ignore. His best friend...was dead...

"Okay. I'll tell Rudy whenever he comes down about that." Mrs. Tabootie said. "He has an upset stomach right now, so I don't want to bother him. Have a good day, Mr. Wilter." And with that, the sound of a click indicated the call was over.

Rudy continued to rest on the ground, his eyes staring intently at where his mother's voice had come from. He wiped away a tear as he glared in that direction. His body trembled a few times as anger swept through him. Just hearing the name Mr. Wilter was enough to make burning ice sweep through him. His mind had numbed a little since he let out his emotions earlier, but his head still throbbed with sorrow. He found it difficult to take in a breath without it being shaky. And it was all because of that man...

Rudy could feel more tears forming in his eyes as he thought about Snap. His expression softened up slightly as he thought about what Snap must have been through. Poor Snap... He couldn't stop the tears from falling down as the memory of the last expression his friend ever made came to his head. That expression of hope...the belief that he was going to save him... And in the end, he let his friend down. He tried to help him and he failed. He..he should have tried harder. He should have been smarter. He should have...He should have...

Rudy couldn't finish his thought as he let out a shuddering breath, and a small whimper escaped his throat. He got up to his feet. His body trembled with negative emotion. His vision became blurred by his tears as he stood there. His lower lip quivered as he rubbed away his tears with his hand. He should have moved faster... There was so much he could have done to save Snap. And now..he..he was gone... As much as he wanted to deny it.. There was nothing else it could have been.

Penny had a valid point. Maybe they should have explored the house. Maybe Snap really was still alive and... No.. No, he wasn't. Rudy shook the thought out of his head. He couldn't get his hopes up. He couldn't go on thinking the impossible. Snap wouldn't want that. He'd want him to accept reality, even with how painful it was. Rudy was..he was going to miss him. His heart twisted in painful knots as he realized he was never seeing Snap again. His best friend was gone forever.. Erased by the rain...

His mind turned to burning rage as thoughts of Mr. Wilter entered his mind. He knew he was guilty. He knew that evil man had murdered his friend in cold blood. He knew that Mr. Wilter was trying to get to him, trying to get into ChalkZone. Why else would he call after coldly killing off his friend like that? He bet that he was going to rub it in his face. Rudy clutched his fists to his side, shaking them. He never knew Mr. Wilter was such a monster... If he had known about this earlier, he would have tried to do something about it. He couldn't believe he had actually trusted that man.

He recalled Penny's words, about jumping to conclusion. Although he did try to be understanding, and though he did realize she had a point, he was still convinced that Mr. Wilter did kill Snap. He was so sure of it. Mr. Wilter kidnapped Snap and tried to get information from him, and then just offed him, either because he was 'useless' or as 'punishment' to him for trespassing. The evidence was there. That chalk on the ground, out of place.. It had to have belonged to Snap. It had to be the remains of his body after Mr. Wilter cruelly opened up the window during the storm.

Rudy could feel pangs in his finger tips as he imagined the screams of agony his friend must have admitted when he died. He wondered if Snap questioned where he was, and why he hadn't tried to save him. Rudy bit his lip, more tears forming in his eyes. He wished he could apologize to Snap for failing him. He wished he could beg for his forgiveness. He wanted to make it up to him for being such a failure. He was his friend. He should have been able to save him... What..what kind of friend was he if he couldn't even save him?

Well he wasn't going to sit around and do nothing. He may not be able to save Snap anymore. He may be too late in getting him home safe and sound. But there was one thing he could do. There was something he could do so that Snap could be at peace. It was a simple act. It was not going to bring Snap back, but it would ensure that his death would not go in vain. Karma always had a way of biting back, and Rudy..well he was going to lend a helping hand.

He heard his parents begin to discuss something. From the sound of it, he guessed they were in the living room. Rudy turned his head in the direction of his parents' bedroom. His eyes narrowed in determination. He took another glance down to make sure his parents weren't coming to the stairs. With a renewed resolve moving through his head, Rudy started to go towards his parents' bedroom.

His steps were slow and deliberate. He tiptoed across the ground, making sure that none of his steps caused any creaking of the floors. He moved to his parents' room slowly, painstakingly. He wanted to move faster, but he knew that if he made too much noise, he could ruin this chance. He occassionally looked back to see if his parents took notice of what he was doing. Satisfied that they didn't speak up, he continued on towards his parents' bedroom.

When he reached it, he gripped onto the doorknob. Again, he looked over his shoulder. He listened intently, making sure his parents weren't coming up the steps. Satisfied, Rudy opened up the door and he slipped into his parents' bedroom.

Once inside, he tiptoed over to where his dad's cellphone was. He often kept it up here. While this had been annoying in the past, today, he was grateful for his dad leaving his cell up here. Rudy could see it laying in the middle of his parents' bed. His eyes focused intently on it. There it was...the thing that was going to help him get some conclusion for Snap. He was too late to save him, but he was not too late in setting things right. He moved over to the phone slowly, careful not to make any noise.

Rudy soon picked up the phone and held it in his hands. He stared at it intently as he lifted it off the bed. He raised up a single finger, hovering it above the phone. Before he pressed down on any of the buttons, he said one thing in a low, soft whisper.

"I'm sorry, Penny..." Rudy said.

With that, Rudy pressed the buttons. He dialed a number. He put the phone to his ear and waited for someone to pick up. For a few seconds, he could only hear ringing. Then, after what felt like several minutes, he could the phone being picked up, and a feminine voice began to speak to him.

"Hello. This is 911. What is your emergency?" The woman asked him.

"Hello. I want to report a murder."

sss

Mr. Wilter raised his head as he heard loud banging on the door. He wondered if that could be Rudy. No..that was impossible. The storm was still raging, and Mrs. Tabootie said Rudy would come over after the storm. Sure, he would have liked the boy to come over earlier, but if he was sick and it was storming... He didn't really expect the boy to be over this fast. He decided to sit and wait for Rudy to come up. Snap had just gotten back to sleep. He didn't want to wake him up.

In seconds, however, Mr. Wilter knew something was very wrong. The banging got angrier, more forceful. He could hear someone shouting. He couldn't tell what they were saying at first. But whoever it was, they sounded too old to be Rudy, and they were angry. Then, moments later, he heard a crash, and he knew the door was knocked down. This caused Mr. Wilter's heart to freeze. Instinctively, he pulled Snap a little closer. Was he..was he being robbed? Know, robbers wouldn't pound the door like that. But...who could be...?

"This is the police!" A man shouted. "Come on out with your hands up!"

Mr. Wilter's face paled. No..oh no.. Rudy..he..he didn't... Mr. Wilter felt his heart beating faster as he heard the sound of multiple people enter his home. He could hear them running all over the place, trying to find him. Mr. Wilter wanted to run, but there was just no way he could, not with Snap in this condition. He tried to stop the feeling of wanting to vomit out of fear as he heard the footsteps rush up the stairs. Soon, they would be upon him, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Mr. Wilter turned his head towards the door. He took in shaky breaths. He couldn't believe Rudy did this... He had..called the police on him. He knew Rudy would be angry with him if he knew or suspected he took Snap. But he had no idea he would go this far. Rudy, he hadn't even given him a chance to explain. And because of that... He glanced down at Snap. What..what was going to happen to him...?

He didn't get a chance to finish that train of thought. Suddenly the door swung open, hitting against the wall hard. It was loud enough that it woke up Snap. He looked down, seeing the zoner's eyes partway open, his head turning around to see what was going on. Mr. Wilter bit his lip and then turned his head towards the door. Three armed men came rushing into his room. All of them armed with guns, and they were all pointed straight at him. Mr. Wilter wanted to say something, but he was frozen in terror.

"Freeze!" One of the policemen shouted. "Put your hands in the air!"

Mr. Wilter stared at the officer. He opened up his mouth, stammering as he spoke. "Y-You don't understand.. Y-You c-cannot..."

"You are under arrest! Anything you say or do can and will be used against you in the court of law!" Another police officer shouted.

Mr. Wilter shook his head. "No! You don't understand!" But he was unable to stop himself from behind yanked away by the third officer. He was pressed against the bed, his arms folded behind his back as cuffs were placed on him. He looked over and he could see Snap toppling off the bed due to the force. "No!"

sss

Rudy smirked as he watched the whole thing happen through the tiny hole he had created. Through the tiny portal he had created, he could see Mr. Wilter being pushed against the bed, his arms folded behind his back as the cops cuffed him. The man was shouting something, but Rudy didn't pay attention to what he said. He just smiled in satisfaction as he watched the murderer being apprehended.

He knew Penny would disapprove of this. If she were here to see this, she would be furious with him. He understood that he had broken his promise to her. But he..he just could not sit around and do nothing. He had to take action. Surely Penny would understand that. Mr. Wilter no doubt killed their friend. He was a monster. And karma had a way of tracking down monsters and making them own up to their atrocities. He was just helping it along. All he did was call the police. It wasn't like he did anything horrible. It wasn't like his action was going to have consequences. Mr. Wilter doesn't even know he called.

As soon as he told the police about what happened, editting his story to ommit anything regarding ChalkZone, he came to Rapsheeba's New Place, where he knew Mr. Wilter's house was going to be. He recalled how, the last time he had come here, the place was 'haunted' by smudges, zoners that were only partially erased. He had made the discovery that it was located where Mr. Wilter's home was and the smudges were his drawings. So he helped them get erased by distracted Mr. Wilter while he and Penny used water to get the chalk off the wall.

Now here he stood again, in the same spot, watching as Mr. Wilter was struggling, the police apprehending him. Rudy had come here during a time when he knew those smudge zoners and Rapsheeba wouldn't be here. She usually kept the house locked up, but with the magic chalk, he was able to sneak inside and go up the steps where Wilter's room was going to be located on the other side of the portal.

He continued to watch, listening to Wilter cry out that they were making a mistake. Rudy narrowed his eyes in anger. The asshole.. Of course he was going to try to plead innocense... He murdered someone and now he was trying to escape the law. How despicable... Rudy tightened his hand into a fist, letting it shake as anger swept through him. He had so many choice words for that monster. There was so much he wanted to do... But he held back. Attacking Wilter was wrong. It was not only against his character, but it also could do nothing to bring Snap back. He could at least sleep at night, in satisfaction, knowing that Mr. Wilter had been arrested and will be sentenced for the crime of murder. No way he'd be getting out for a long time.

At this point, Mr. Wilter was completely cuffed and was hoisted from the ground, forced to stand and face the third officer, while the other two were holding him by the arms. Mr. Wilter had a horror stuck look on his face. He looked so scared and frightened, and he tried to struggle again. But the officers just tightened their grip, getting a little rough with him. Rudy couldn't help but give what others would percieve as an evil, twisted smile as Mr. Wilter was being arrested. He gave off another chuckle, this one filled with even more menace than the time he sent the poison pen letter to Michelle.

"See you around...you murderer..." Rudy said with a grin.

"Rudy?"

Rudy's eyes widened at that voice. He swerved around. He took in a sharp gasp, placing his hand against his chest.

"P-Penny? What are you doing here...?" Rudy asked breathlessly.

There, standing before him, was Penny. She stood just behind the door, where the spiral staircase was. Behind her was Rapsheeba. The two girls stared at them, their eyes filled with confusion. Rudy swerved himself around, looking left and right. How did he not hear them coming?

Penny stook a few steps forward. "I came here to help Rapsheeba clean this place up and I was going to come get you. This place would have been perfect for us to come up with a plan since Mr. Wilter's house is right there." She held her hand out towards Rudy. "Just what are you doing here? Why did you break into Rapsheeba's New Place?"

"I-I..." Rudy looked left and right again in a nervous fashion. "I..."

Penny seemed to catch on what he was doing. Her eyes slowly widened and her mouth dropped open. She took in a deep gasp. "Rudy..." She said, horror, for a moment, registering on her face. "You didn't..." Rudy didn't answer her. He turned his head away, biting his lip. Penny narrowed her eyes. "Rudy, how could you?!" Penny put her hands on her hips. "You promised!"

"But...Penny... He killed Snap! I just couldn't..." Rudy started to say.

Rapsheeba's horrified shriek stopped him. "My man's been murdered?!" Rapsheeba put her hands on the sides of her face. "Snap is gone?!"

Penny took a step towards Rapsheeba, a look of concern on her face. She reached out towards the distressed zoner. "We don't know if he's dead or not. Rudy just jumped to conclusions." She slowly turned her head towards Rudy as she said this, her eyes narrowing again.

Rudy stared at Penny, his speeding heart clenching as he saw the look on her face. His mind flashed images of what he had seen back at Mr. Wilter's house. The realization that Penny still thought that Snap was somehow alive, despite the evidence, it started to make him angry. Penny was holding onto false hope. And now she was trying to give that false hope to Rapsheeba. How..how could she...? Rapsheeba was going to have a hard enough time dealing with Snap's dead. She didn't need didn't need the cruelty of false hope crushing her, too.

Rudy took a few steps forward, his body arched a little as his eyed were narrowed into slits. His teeth bared, he let a low soft growl out as he approached Penny. Rapsheeba, who sensed the hostility, moved away from the two children. Penny glared back, her body arching as well in response to Rudy's posture. Rudy stopped a few feet in front of Penny, his hands clenched tightly into fists at his side. He could see Penny forming fists as well and, anger seeping into both their minds, they started to circle each other.

"How...how can you do this?" Rudy said in a low growl. "You know that giving somebody false hope is worse than just being honest!"

"You should talk! You are the one who broke a promise! You promised you weren't going to do something crazy regarding Mr. Wilter! I thought I could trust you, Rudy! I thought you would be smart enough to wait until we came up with a way to explore Mr. Wilter's house before we took action against him!" Penny snarled back, her teeth bared. "Just...just what the fuck did you do?!"

Ignoring Penny's cursing, Rudy replied, "All I did was call the police! They are apprehending that murderer now!"

"You could have been wrong, Rudy!" Penny cried, raising her hands in the air. "Snap could still be alive!" She jabbed an accusatory finger in Rudy's direction. By now, the two had stopped circling each other. They stood a few feet apart. Rapsheeba was by the hole in the wall, her back pressed and looking very nervous by the whole fight. "What are you going to do if Snap turned out to be alive and your actions just made things worse for him? Would you be able to live with yourself if Snap died because you...?"

Rudy's eyes widened at this. He couldn't believe Penny had just said that. How..how could she say that? All he did was deliver justice to Mr. Wilter. All he did was give Snap the closer he deserved. He wasn't trying to hurt Rapsheeba more. He wasn't trying to make things worse for anyone. Why couldn't Penny see that? Why couldn't she understand that he was just trying to do the right thing? How...how could she...?

Rudy could feel his stomach twist in knots as a burning feeling spread through his body. The anger inside him came to a boiling point, his blood nearly burning inside of him. He ground his teeth together so ahrd he thought they were going to crack. His eyes blazed, his pupils dilating into dots. He tried to fight against the chilling burn rush through him, but he was unable to. His body trembled in anger, letting out a few low growls throug his bared teeth.

Snap...he had already died. Mr. Wilter killed him. It was Penny who was jumping to conclusions. She's the one who refuses to acknowledge what happened. She's the one clinging to a nonexistent hope that he was somehow still alive. She was the one who was going to make things worse for Rapsheeba by not admitting the truth. And now, she had the gall to say that Snap's death, if he miraculously wasn't dead yet, was going to be his fault? How...how dare she...

Rudy felt the weight of everything come down on him. The horrible things that happened, all the terrifying feelings, they intermixed together and they pushed down on him. He tried to fight back, but the feelings just got stronger. Eventually, he did something he always tried so hard not to do.

He snapped.

"You...you bitch!" Rudy shouted.

Without warning, Rudy charged towards Penny. The girl's eyes widened in shock. She took a step back, but she was too late to get out of the way. Rudy slammed against her. The two kids tumbled onto the ground. Penny attempted to get away, but Rudy wrestled her against the hard floor. He soon stradled her, his hands gripping her shoulders to keep her pinned. Penny stared up at him in horror at first, but then narrowed her eyes and bared her teeth. She started to push back.

"Get off of me, Rudy!" Penny demanded. "This is unacceptable!"

"Unacceptable?!" Rudy cried in disbelief. "Unexpectable?! I'll tell you watch's unacceptable!" He put his face close to hers. Gripping her tighter, he gave her a couple rough shakes. "Hiding behind a lie instead of facing the truth! You are making things worse for yourself and Rapsheeba! I thought you would be smart enough to realize that clinging onto an incorrect belief would just hurt you more..." He sneered, "But I guess I was wrong, wasn't I?"

Penny's narrowed eyes flickered a bit of hurt as they turned into slits. She didn't respond. She just growled at him and began to push harder against him.

Suddenly, they heard Rapsheeba give a cry of shock.

"Guys!"

Rudy and Penny looked over at Rapsheeba, their glares still on their faces. Rapsheeba was by the hole, staring at it. She had what looked like a horror-struck look on her face. She was pointing at it, her finger shivering. Rudy wondered what she could have seen that scared her so much. Perhaps she had spotted one of Snap's body parts or something. He didn't doubt for a second that Mr. Wilter had cut Snap up.

Rapsheeba's voice stammered as her dark green eyes fixated from the hole to the two children and back again. "It's Snap!"

"Snap...?" The two children asked in unison.

Rapsheeba nodded her head. "The police! They're taking him to the hospital!"

Rudy felt ice shoot through his heart at this. Snap was..he was...? Rudy didn't say a word as he jumped up from Penny. He rushed over to the hole. He put his eye to it and looked around. Mr. Wilter was gone, having been dragged out. But there was still a single officer in the room and he was holding something.

"We need to get you to the hospital. This arm looks really bad..." The man said, his voice filled with sympathy. "But don't worry... You'll be safe..."

As the man turned around and began to walk out, Rudy could see who it was. He took in a sharp gasp as he saw Snap there. The zoner was shivering in fright, attempting to weakly struggle to get out of the well meaning man's arms. Soon the man exited the bedroom, and Snap's whimpers of desperation still echoed in the hallway.

Rudy's body shivered from the shere shock of what had just transpired. He couldn't believe it... Snap really was alive... Penny had been right. She was right all along. He really had jumped to conclusions. Rudy felt his heart twist in knots as guilt rose up in his body, making him feel nauseous. He put his hand to his stomach, trying to resist the temptation of throwing up. His body was overcome with a conflicting mixture of emotions. Relief...and horror.

Relief that Snap was alive.

Horror that he had not only wrongfully accused Mr. Wilter of murder, but his actions really had just made things worse.

Rudy, slowly, turned his head towards Penny. By now, the ten year old girl had gotten up to her feet, brushing herself off. She glared at him angrily, her arms folded tightly against her chest. She wasn't the only one who was angry. Rapsheeba, who had recovered from the initial shock, also glared at him, her hands on her hips. The two of them gave him an accusatory look. Without saying a word, they were telling him this was his fault. And...they were right. It was.

Rudy had just inadvertantly sent Snap to the hospital...where he would die as soon as the well meaning doctors attempted to do anything for him.

Rudy's body trembled as the horror of the situation crashed down on him. He clutched his head tightly, shaking his head from side to side in denial. No...no he did not just... He was only trying to... Oh gawd... What did he just do...?

"No!" Rudy cried as he dropped down to his knees. "What...what have I done...?" He whimpered softly as fresh tears dripped from his face. "What have I done...?"


	9. The Aftermath

Penny stood in the room, alone. Well almost. Rudy was still there. Rapsheeba had left upon request. Although she knew Rapsheeba had every right to join in the discussion, she wanted the singer to inform the zoners of what had happened. Even though there was the possibility nothing would come out of it, Mr. Wilter knowing about ChalkZone could still end in disaster. She had no idea of what the man's intentions were, and if there was even an ounce of a threat possible, she wanted the zoners to know about it.

Penny felt anger boiling up inside of her. She glared angrily at Rudy, who was still on his knees, crying. She wanted to feel sorry for him. She wanted to comfort him. But right now, she was too angry to do any of that. She just stared at him, listening to him cry. She must look so cold right now, with the way she simply stood there and watched. This isn't the way she ever wanted to look at her friend. The anger was clouding her mind, making it hard for her to think about anything except the atrocity that Rudy had committed.

She couldn't believe it. Rudy had betrayed her, and, in a way, betrayed Snap. Rudy promised her that he wasn't going to do anything crazy. She had spoken to him before about this. He promised... And he broke that promise. He deliberately went against her warning and did exactly what she feared he would do: He called the police on Mr. Wilter.

And that was going to end badly for Snap if they didn't do something.

Rudy's actions not only landed Mr. Wilter in jail for a crime he did not commit, but endangered Snap's life in the process. He was on his way to the hospital as they stood there. She knew that, once he got there, they were going to try to use liquids on him, whether it be to hydrate him or medicate him. It would be so easy for Snap to get a fatal wound from a well-meaning person trying to help him.

She wasn't happy with the way he acted just moments ago, either. He had turned on her, accused her of making things worse, and he had pushed her into the ground. This was unlike the Rudy she knew. It was clear that Snap's 'death' had really affected him, and made him act in ways he normally would not. But she thought that he would have better control over himself. She thought that he would keep his anger in check. She had been wrong.

"What have I done...?"

Penny stared at Rudy as he said that statement again. He had been saying that over and over again. He hadn't looked over at her, and he probably didn't know Rapsheeba was gone. He had his face in his right hand and he was crying softly. She could hear him sniffling, his lower lip being sicked into his mouth as sobs wracked through his body.

"I..I can't believe I..." Rudy whimpered. Tears dripped from his face, staining the ground. "I never meant..."

"You never meant for what to happen?" Penny asked, her voice absent of much emotion. She sounded so eerily calm despite the fact that she has burning in rage on the inside. "You didn't mean to have Snap sent to a real world hospital?" Rudy nodded his head a couple of times, keeping his gaze towards the ground. Penny narrowed her eyes. "I see..."

Rudy looked over at her. She could see the heartbreak in his eyes. His eyes were reddened. She could see that his nose was drippy and his face flushed from the tears that he shed. There was no doubt in her mind that he was being competely honest. He was truly sorry for what he had done. But her anger in the moment prevented her from showing him much sympathy. Rudy seemed to catch this and he turned his head away.

"I was so certain he did it..." Rudy said in a soft, nearly inaudible voice.

"And I told you we needed more evidence. We couldn't just jump to conclusions, Rudy. You know how badly that sort of thing ends up. And now look what happened." Penny gestured toward the wall where the tiny portal still was. By now, all the commotion caused by the police was gone and the room on the other side was as still and quiet as an abandoned house. "Mr. Wilter has been arrested for something he didn't do! Yeah, he does need to go to jail for kidnapping, but that's not the only thing your little stunt caused. Snap is going there, too, and you know what that means!"

Rudy gulped and nodded his head. "Y-Yeah..."

"I just...can't believe that you..." Penny growled softly, clenching her teeth. She gripped her head tightly as she tried to sort out her thoughts and manage her anger. She had her eyes shut tightly for a few seconds, then she reopend them and shot a glare at Rudy. "Just what the fuck were you thinking?!" Rudy opened his mouth to speak, but Penny cut him off. "Oh that's right. You weren't thinking were you?! You were too caught up in your desire for revenge, you acted without considering the consequences!"

Rudy was silent. He had his gaze averted, looking ashamed. Penny wasn't done chewing him out just yet. She took a step forward and pointed a finger in his direction.

"This is all your fault, Rudy! You should have just waited until we could do a search of Mr. Wilter's house! You should have waited until we actually had a plan! We were supposed to be discussing things during this time! We should have been in here, sitting with Rapsheeba, figuring things out. But instead, what did you do? What the fuck did you do instead? You called the fucking police, that's what you did! And now, because of you, Snap is headed towards a real world hospital where, if he's not dead, he's going to be soon! If Snap dies, Rudy, it will be on your head!"

Rudy lowered his head down more. At Penny's harsh words, he started to cry harder. His sobs increased in volume. He wrapped his arms around his bent legs, bringing his knees to his chin. His face was coated in slick tears. His body continued to shake as the cries swept through him. His breathing was shaky, and he hiccuped a few times as he sobbed in front of Penny.

Penny continued to glare at him, anger boiling her blood. Her teeth were bared and a few low growls emitted from her mouth. There was more she wanted to say to him. There was more she wanted to make clear. She wanted to tell him how angry she was, how hurt she was, how devastated and disappointed she was, but she couldn't bring herself to say it. Words, in that moment, had failed her and all she could do was glare at Rudy, a silen way of showing how much she disapproved of his actions.

Slowly, she felt her blood cool down. She watched Rudy sob, listening to his raspy breathing. Her expression softened up. The anger slowly started to leave her body, down her arms and through her finger tips. The glare on her face eventually vanished completely, and soon she stood there with a calm, blank expression.

As she listened to him cry, she realized that she may have been harsher and colder with her words than she had intended. Maybe she did go a little too far. She felt a pang of guilt rise up inside of her stomach, spreading throughout. Rudy's crying echoed in her mind, reminding her not only of just how sorry he was, but how cold she had been to him. She shouldn't be here yelling at him. She should be comforting him and trying to help him figure out how to find Snap. Instead, she chose to chew him out. And now... it was a bad time to do that.

At this point, Penny's anger and rage were completely gone, replaced instead by guilt. Penny bit her lip. She knew that she had just wasted precious time. Horrid guilt clung to her heart, making her feel sick, as she realized that her own actions may have made things worse. It wasn't just Rudy who acted without thinking. She stared at Rudy for a few moments, and then, slowly, she walked over towards him. She stopped in front of him and remained there. He looked up at her, staring at her with his tear-stained face. The sight of it made Penny's heart clench.

Penny dropped down onto one knee in front of the sobbing boy. She stared at him, her face shining with sympathy. She reached over with her arms and, without saying a word, she pulled Rudy into a hug. The boy stiffened up, startled by this gesture. He momentarily struggled, as if he thought she was going to do something else to him. He soon relaxed and, after a few moments, he put his arms around her, his hands placed firmly against her back. He pressed the side of his face against her shoulder and wept into it. She could feel her shoulder getting moist there. She ignored it as she rubbed the boy's back with one hand.

"Shhh...it's okay, Rudy. It will be okay." Penny whispered gently. She rubbed the side of her face against Rudy's. "Everything will be fine. You'll see. Shhh.."

"B-But Penny..you were right. This..this all my fault. If I had just listened.." Rudy lamented, a sob choking his voice for a few seconds.

"It's okay... We'll figure out something." Penny reassured him.

Rudy, however, didn't sound convinced. She could feel his warm tears staining her shirt. Rudy didn't let up and it seemed as though he was letting out more tears now than he did before. She lifted up one of her hands and gently stroked his hair, whispering soft, comforting words to him. Rudy didn't look any better, his cries continuing to rumble through his body.

Rudy sniffled. "But what if we don't? What if Snap is at the hospital right now? What if he gets burned from the inside out? It will be my fault, Penny. Snap's death would be all my fault.."

Penny hugged Rudy tighter. Tears streamed down her face, her harsh words echoing in her mind. She hadn't meant to hurt Rudy like this. She hadn't meant to make him feel worse than he already did. She kept him close to her and she spoke in a voice that she tried to keep calm given the circumstances. "I'm sorry, Rudy. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. Please...don't cry. Shhh... it's okay..."

"B-But you're right. I messed up...I messed up big time..." Rudy whimpered.

"I know, but it wasn't right of me to yell at you like that." Penny said, nuzzling Rudy's face with her cheek. Her fingers ran through his hair lightly. "I'm sorry, Rudy. I'm so very sorry."

Penny knew they were wasting time just sitting around here. Snap was on the way to the hospital. They needed to figure out which hospital he was going to and get there fast, before they could do anything to Snap. The thought of Snap being injected with real world fluids in an attempt to help him crossed her mind, and it sent a chilly shudder down her spine. She knew what such an act would do to Snap, and it would be worse than what Mr. Wilter had done to him.

She understood Rudy was an emotional wreck right now, and as much as she would like him to calm down on his own so they could talk things out, they just didn't have the time for that. Time was short and if they didn't act now, they might be too late. Snap needed their help right now. They needed to get him out of that hospital and into ChalkZone. They needed to get him to a ChalkZone hospital and fast. She had no idea just how badly Snap's arm was injured, but if it was bad enough that it was making him sick...

Briefly her mind flashed to the multi-colored chalk bits she and Rudy both saw on the towel. Was it possible that it still came from Snap, but not in the way Rudy had expected? Perhaps Snap had vomited? That would explain why there was coloreful chalk marks on the towel. The thought of Snap throwing up made her heart freeze. That told her that infection had settled in deeply, and Snap could be sicker than she previously thought. The sense of urgency rose in her chest. If they didn't do something now...

Penny pulled back from Rudy. She gently gripped his shoulders, staring at him in the eyes. She noted his reddened cheeks and puffy eyes. Tears still streaked down his face, the light reflecting off of them. She removed her right hand to gently cup Rudy's chin, keeping his green gaze on hers.

"Rudy, I know you're upset right now. But we don't have time for this. We need to find a way to get Snap back." Penny said softly. Rudy nodded in understanding and wiped away a few of this tears. "I'm glad you understand." Penny said with a smile. Then she frowned at him. "Do you know which hospital they would have taken him?"

Rudy shook his head. "N-No, I don't." He lowered his gaze a little, clenching his teeth. "I want to say the Plainsville Hospital, but..I just don't know." He shrugged his shoulders. "They could have taken him somewhere else."

Penny thought about this for a moment. Rudy did have a point. The Plainsville Hospital was still an option, but, with this storm, there was a chance that the main road to get there was blocked off. The hospital was on a road that was recently damaged, and while still usable most of the time, a storm like this could make the road inaccessible. As a result, until the problem was fixed, new patients could be taken to another hospital somewhat close by. This meant that she and Rudy had two hospitals to search. The thought filled her with dread.

How would they know they picked the right hospital? Both Plainsville Hospital and the nearby Burkwood Hospital, were pretty big. Not the largest hospitals she's seen, but enough that it would take them hours to search. Hours...that they did not have. If they chose the wrong hospital the first time, then by the time they went to the right hospital, Snap might be...

She bit her lip and sucked on it nervously. There had to be a way to figure out which hospital it was. There had to be a way for them to check to see which hospital Snap had been taken to. A sign, a clue, anything. But how would they be able to do that? It wasn't like the hospital had identifiable uniforms; what they were was typical of any hospital. She realized the only way to really find out where Snap was taken...was to follow the ambulance. Which they had no way of finding. So they would have to rely on luck.

She felt disappointed in herself that she couldn't think of a better plan. But..what choice did she have? She had no leads to go on. Neither did Rudy. None of them had a clue or inkling on where Snap could have been taken. Their best bet is guessing and hope that everything would turn out okay. She didn't want to play luck. She didn't want to have to resort to merely guessing. Yet..that's exactly what they had to do.

"Rudy, let's head to the Plainsville Hospital. It's the nearest one. That cop guy sounded really concerned for Snap." Penny explained, her mind recalling what the cop had said when he carried Snap away. "Logic would dictate that the man would take Snap there. It's our best shot."

Rudy sniffled and nodded his head. "Yeah...let's get going." He wiped his eyes again and held up his magic chalk. "The hospital isn't too far from here. We should be able to get there relatively quickly using the rocket shoes."

Penny nodded in agreement. Though she knew there were faster modes of transportation, they simply didn't have time to construct something like that. The rocket shoes were their best option. They were quick to draw and quit efficient, too. She watched as Rudy drew himself a set, and then he came over and, bending down, he gave her a pair as well. Penny studied them, hoping that she'd be able to use them properly. She hardly used them before and she would usually want to practice first. There was simply no time for that.

Rudy walked over towards the wall. He paused, looking at it up and down. Penny, at first, wondered what he was doing. She soon realized he must be trying to find an area to create an exit hole. Going down the stairs would have just taken extra time, so she understood why he would do something like this, even though creating holes in zoners' homes was not something he'd like to do. Once Rudy seemed to find a suitable spot, he drew a circle, causing that part of the house to vanish, and exposing them to day zone's sunlight.

Without saying a word, the two kids jumped out of the house, activating their rocket shoes. Rudy was able to do it quite smoothly, going through the air pretty gracefully. Penny, however, was a little delayed. She let out a scream as she faltered, falling down. Rudy looked at her in horror and came over to help her. Penny was able to activate her rocket shoes fairly quickl and she steadied herself before Rudy reached her. He took a moment to look at her up and down, ensuring she was okay. Once he knew that she was fine, he turned and started to head in the direction of the Plainsville Hospital. Penny followed close behind.

As they flew in the direction of the hospital, Penny's mind wandered momentarily to the towel again. She recalled that it had been wet, soaked by the rain. And it had been placed, according to Rudy, not far from where Snap had been chained to the wall. Rudy's idea of the towel being used to clean up Snap's remains had clearly been false. So...why had Mr. Wilter put the towel there? She hadn't noticed any kind of mess that needed to be claned up.

Then it dawned on her. Was it possible that Mr. Wilter had placed the towel there to...help Snap? He had been positioned where he could have been hurt by the real world water. The towel had been placed in front of where he had been. She wasn't sure if she had jumped to the right conclusion, but it was the only one that made sense. Mr. Wilter...had tried to help Snap by blocking the real world water. Penny could feel the wheels in her head turning as the scenario started to piece together. Mr. Wilter had taken mercy on Snap and helped him by blocking the real world rain from getting to him.

And he had Snap with him in the bedroom...because he had freed him. Mr. Wilter must have started to feel guilty about how he treated Snap and released him. He must have been trying to keep Snap warm and... Her eyes bulged as she recalled the message on the phone. Had...had Mr. Wilter been calling to...try to give Snap back to them? Was that the 'emergency' he mentioned?

The thought filled her stomach with bile. The sensation ate away at her, making her tremble slightly. If that were the case, then Rudy's little stunt had ruined their chance of being reunited with their friend. This caused some anger to flare up inside of her, and she couldn't help but shoot a glare in Rudy's direction. He didn't see it, and a part of her was glad he didn't; she didn't want to start arguing again. Not up here. Not to mention Rudy did feel guilty and wanted to try to make up for it. She forced herself to calm down. They might have missed a chance to get Snap back due to a mistake on Rudy's part, but they weren't going to miss this chance. She would see to that.

They didn't get too far away from Rapsheeba's New Place when they both spotted a shape down below. The shape was moving below them, waving what appeared to be arms frantically back and forth. They both quickly recognized this figure as Rapsheeba. She was trying to get their attention. The two friends dove down towards here and landed in front of her.

"What is it, Rapsheeba?" Rudy asked, the shakiness in his voice earlier gone now.

Rapsheeba looked off in the direction they were headed. "I saw...I saw..."

"What?" Penny pressed.

"It was some kind of floating writing." Rapsheeba explained. "A chalkboard, heading in that direction!"

Rudy and Penny glanced at each other. They turned back to Rapsheeba.

"A chalkboard isn't going to help us find Snap." Penny began. Before she could say more, Rapsheeba cut her off.

"This chalkboard had some medical kind of writing, and it described a patient that was small, blue, wearing a super hero costume.." Rapsheeba said, her eyes wide with emotion.

Rudy and Penny gasped at this. That description...it could only be Snap. They had never heard of an ambulance using a chalkboard before. Maybe they were low on supplies and had to make do? Whatever the reason, they didn't have time to fathom it. They needed to act now.

"Which way did you say it went?" Rudy asked.

Rapsheeba turned her head and pointed off behind her. "That way!"

"Come on, Penny!" Rudy cried.

Penny needed no further prompting. The two friends activated their rocket shoes and sped off in the direction Rapsheeba had indicated.

sss

"No! Wait!" Mr. Wilter cried.

"Shut it, you!" The police officer snarled at him.

"You don't understand!" Mr. Wilter shouted at the officer. "You..."

The police offer had clearly had enough of him. He took out his night stick and struck Mr. Wilter over the head with it. Not enough to cause much damage, but enough to get him to be quiet. "Shut your trap! I don't want to hear another stinking word from you!"

Mr. Wilter opened his mouth to say something, but catching the look of the officer's eyes, he quickly shut his mouth. He grunted as the man tightened his grip on his arm, dragging him down the stone cold hallway that was the jail. Keeping up with the officer was a little hard. He was moving at a brisk pace, forcing him to try his best to keep up the pace. He kept tripping over his feet a few times. This did little to slow down the officer. The man just continued to drag him down the hallway, uncaring how roughly he treated him.

Wilter's mind was panicking. Not because of what was happening to him, but because of Snap. Where was he taken? When had he arrived? Did he arrive? Did Rudy know? The old man was well aware of what would happen to Snap if he were getting any kind of injections at the hospital. The thought filled him with dread. He felt a sickening bile feeling in his stomach, knowing that Snap wouldn't be in this mess if he hadn't kidnapped him.

And Rudy had just made things worse...

Mr. Wilter couldn't be too angry at the boy. He certainly couldn't have known the reason for his call, and he couldn't blame him for calling the police if he knew that he had Snap. But he still wished that Rudy had at least spoken to him first, come to see him. Or even call him. He was certain that Snap could still talk, albeit not that much. Rudy may have been convinced to come down if he heard Snap's voice. Or maybe he could have thought of something else, something that could have worked out better than this.

Instead, the boy chose to call the police, and as a result, Snap was headed for the hospital. He was most certain that's where he'd be taken, with that arm injury. Mr. Wilter had little worry for himself; he had already planned to turn himself in. But this was not how he had wanted it to happen. Not with Snap getting hauled off as well.

Mr. Wilter tried his best to ignore the stares he got from the inmates. He tried to ignore the sensation of them boring into his skull. He tried to ignore the jeers and chuckles from the prisoners around him. It was hard. Even as he closed his eyes and tried not to look, simply letting himself be guided by the police officer, he found it difficult to ignore them, their cruel chuckles, their staring. Eventually he gave in and he looked around.

Left and right, there were rows of cells with prisoners all inside of them. Some of the prisoners sat back, not really paying attention or really caring that he was there. Most of the prisoners, however, decided to give him a 'welcome'. They gripped the bars and sneered at him viciously as he came down. The sight of so many prisoners, some large, some thing, some muscular, some short, some tall, all dirty with bright orange jumpsuits, just like the one he was wearing now, all staring at him unnerved Mr. Wilter. Adding to this uncomfortableness were some of the things they were saying to him.

"Ah lookie here! Some fresh meat!"

"I wonder how long he will last here."

"We will break him in soon enough..."

"A little disappointing that he's old... But I'm flexible!"

Mr. Wilter felt his heart freeze at that last statement. He looked over to try to see who had said it. He couldn't identify who had said that. Though each face was unique, they all carried more or less the same expression, making it hard to tell them apart. He shuddered and tried to shake the thought from his head. The police officer, seemingly unfazed by what was said, guided him to the last cell on the left side.

Upon reaching it, Mr. Wilter was relieved that his cell had no one using it. He certainly was in no mood to deal with these prisoners, especially if they all had the same mindset as that last one. Although a woman had said that last statement, the fact that it was a prisoner woman made him feel uneasy. He had no idea what she was in for...or anyone here for that matter. They could all be violent criminals, and now here he was, trapped with them. The only solace that he really had was the fact that he would be locked away from them, so he didn't need to fear getting hurt. He'd still have to take their biting comments, though.

"This is where you will be staying until your trial." The police officer said, his voice tinged with negative emotion. He unlocked the door and yanked it open. He turned to Mr. Wilter, giving him a glare. "Get in there."

Mr. Wilter knew it was a bad idea, but he had to try to explain the situation with Snap. He had to try to get the officer to understand that taking Snap away like that was a bad idea. But would the police officer even listen? Probably not. Still...he had to at least try, right?

"You need to listen to me! You shouldn't have taken Snap to the hospital!" Mr. Wilter cried.

At this, the police officer snarled at him. "Snap, huh? That's the name of your victim?"

"Yes...er...I mean..." Mr. Wilter let out an exasperated sight. "Just, please..listen... There's more to this than you..."

"Zip it." The police officer growled. "I don't know why you want to keep that boy from getting the treatment he needs. I knew you had to be an awful man to damage the boy's arm like you had, but to deliberately try to keep him from getting medication to help him recover? That's quite disgusting." He curled his lip up in a snarl. "I never knew you would sink so low, Mr. Wilter.."

"Snap is allergic to most medication! He might die if it's given the wrong stuff! I know what he's allergic to!" Mr. Wilter cried in desperation. He hoped and prayed that the police officer would listen to him. He hoped that, against the odds, the officer would try to listen his words and take them into consideration.

But unfortunately, things don't always turn out that way.

The police officer yanked Mr. Wilter hard. The man tripped over, hitting against the officer. The officer gripped him by his throat, squeezing hard. Mr. Wilter gasped and struggled to try to remove the man's hand, but had no such luck. The officer positioned him roughly, not being so gentle as he forced the man to stand straight. He gave him a spiteful glare before he opened up the cell door some more. Then, gripping Mr. Wilter's arm roughly, his fingernails digging into the man's skin, he threw Mr. Wilter into the cell. Mr. Wilter stumbled, nearl losing his footing. When he regained his balance, he turned his head just in time to hear the clicking sound of keys locking the door.

The police officer yanked the keys out, his eyes glowering at Mr. Wilter resentfully. For a few moments, their eyes locked on, the officer's expression never changing. Mr. Wilter felt dread rise up in his heart as the man continued to glare at him like that. He, his body shaking slightly, took a step back. He turned his head to the side, clenching his teeth as he stared at the man with one eye. He wanted to say something, anything, but words left him.

And even if he could speak, what could he say? And would this man even listen to him? Mr. Wilter had doubts that he would. He was clearly too angry and bitter at him to do that. No matter what he said, the man would either not listen or he would become angrier at whatever statement he could come up with. Mr. Wilter wanted to convince him that Snap was in danger, but...how would he be able to accomplish that?

After a few moments, the police officer humphed at him, snorting. Giving him one final nasty glare, the man whipped around and wordlessly walked away, leaving Mr. Wilter behind, alone in his dirty cell. Mr. Wilter watched him leave, and then, with a sigh, he walked over to his single bed. He sat down and leaned against the wall. He did this best to ignore the jeering taunts from the other inmates as his mind painfully flooded with thoughts of what might happen and trying to think of what he could do now, if anything.

In the end, all he really could do right now is hope and pray that Rudy figured out where Snap was being taken and get there before it was too late.

sss

It hadn't taken Rudy and Penny long to locate what Rapsheeba had seen, especially with the rocket shoes still attached to their feet. They zipped through the sky, looking left and right. Floating words would be easy to spot, especially if they were moving. And sure enough, they quickly spotted the words.

The two kids kept quiet, refusing to speak to one another. Their eyes were focused on those words. They both knew that they had to keep following it. They couldn't let it get out of their sights. They paid little attention to the environment around them as they followed the words. This nearly caused them to crash into trees and cliff faces, as well as a few buildings, a few times. But they still managed to make their way towards the flying words, keeping them in sight.

They soon got close enough to the words that they could read some of the things it said. Rapsheeba had been right. It definitely described Snap. Who else could fit this description? They could make out a few more details, such as a description of the wound on his arm. Badly infected... That wasn't a good sign. They both knew that his arm was bad, but if the doctors could tell he was infected without having to run any kind of test, then they knew the infection had to be horrific. Skin discoloration and pus and everything.

As Rudy followed the words alongside Penny, he continued to feel a horrible sense of guilt welling up inside of him. It was his fault that Snap was being brought to a real world hospital. He knew full well what the consequences of that were. It wouldn't take much for a well meaning doctor to kill Snap in a very gruesome fashion. If he and Penny didn't get him out of there soon... He shuddered to think of what the result would be.

He didn't want this to happen... He never wanted this to happen... He never thought things would go this far. He..he wished he had listened to Penny before. He wished that he had stuck to his promise, and not called the police or do anything rash. If he had done that, then he could have found Snap earlier, and got him back into ChalkZone. They had a way into Wilter's home. He knew the way in. All he had to do was wait until the right moment and he could have snuck in, grabbed Snap, and bring him to safety.

But what did he do instead? He jumped to conclusions. He had been so certain that the coloration on the towel was Snap's remains that he labeled Mr. Wilter a murderer and called the police on him. He hadn't evn bothered trying all that hard to think of another explanation. He was so certain that Mr. Wilter had done it, he had ultimately made a huge blunder that made things worse for both them and Snap. Just...how were they going to sneak Snap out of a hospital quickly enough to avoid any shots being injected into him...?

He didn't blame Penny for being mad at him. He deserved to get yelled at like that. Though she apologized, he still felt that he had it coming. She was right. He did betray her. He broke a promise... That was something he never willingly wanted to do. He was always good at trying to keep promises and despited breaking them.

And now he had hurt Penny's trust in him by breaking a promise. And what made it so bad here was the fact that the act of breaking the promise had caused Snap to end up somewhere worse than with Mr. Wilter. A place with lots of real world fluid injections. The last place Snap should ever have to be. He had snapped, just like he had with Michelle when he thought he and Penny weren't invited, only this time, his actions were worse and the consequences much more severe.

He felt horrible for the way he acted earlier as well. He had rounded on Penny and accused her of making things worse. He had slammed into her, knocked her into the ground. He...he had never been that hostile with anyone before, let alone Penny, his best friend. How could he have done something like that? How could he have let himself get carried that far?

He should have controlled himself better. He should have held himself back. He should have realized what he was doing and stopped himself before it got any worse. He knew that his temper was boiling over. He knew what he was like when he was sufficiently angry. Why...why didn't he control himself better? He winced at the fresh memory of pushing Penny into the ground. He hoped he hadn't hurt her too badly when he did it.

He shook himself out of his thoughts. As upset as he was, he couldn't drag himself down the 'woe is me' path, especially when Snap was in danger. He needed to focus on how to get Snap out of the hospital, not keep feeling sorry for himself. His eyes narrowing in determination, he focused on the words up ahead of him, following along side Penny, as they flew over various builings, vegetation, and zoners, some who were curiously looking up at them, wondering what they were doing. They continued to follow the words, and as they did, Rudy silently hoped the doctors weren't trying to stick anything into Snap...

Well there was some hope in that. As they watched the board, there was never any changes. The information stayed the same. If Snap had died, they would have changed the information, right? They would have written 'deceased' or 'dead' or something equivelant on there. Or would they...? Rudy was worried that the doctors might freak out at the prospect of Snap melting before them and... No, they hadn't done that. Rudy knew that the sight of anyone melting would have caused them to freak out and thus knock the board down as they ran and this simply didn't happen here. Snap was fine...for now.

The words stopped for a moment, but this lasted only for a short time. The board was picked up and carried in a new direction. Rudy and Penny followed close behind. They did not let the board out of their sights. They moved towards it, keeping a certain distance, until the words finally came to a complete halt.

Rudy and Penny stopped, hovering in front of the words. They looked at each other and then back, both lost in their thoughts. They both were thinking the same thing. Now that they found the location... what now? What were they going to do from here?

Rudy's mind reeled, the gears in his head turning, as he tried to think of what he was going to do. They found where Snap was, or so they thought. But...what would they do now? Just because they had a location didn't really mean they could get Snap out. They needed a plan. They needed a way to get Snap out of there. But how? A hospital was heavily...well not guarded, but populated. There were a lot of humans in there. They would surely notice a couple stray kids walking around. If he and Penny were just to walk in there and take Snap...

...yeah that would not bode well for them at all. They needed something else. And they didn't have long to think about it. If they didn't figure out something soon, Snap was in big trouble. He looked over at Penny, studying her facial features. She was deep in thought, but she looked as lost as him. He bit his lip. He hoped that she could come up with a plan, or that he would have brainstorm, and quick. Now that Snap was in the hospital, it was only a matter of time before...before...

Rudy tried to fight back the tears that formed in his eyes. If Snap died...it would really be his fault. Mr. Wilter would be responsible too, as he kidnapped Snap in the first place. But Rudy himself had made it so much worse. Well now he was going to make up for that by getting his friend out of that place..if he could only think of a way to do so.

"Rudy..."

Rudy looked over at Penny again, and when he saw the way her face looked, he brightened up a little. "Yeah...?"

Penny's eyes narrowed a little as she looked over at Rudy. "I think I know how we can get Snap out of there.. But it's going to be a little tricky." Rudy nodded his head, gesturing for her to continue. She folded her arms across her chest, resting her hand underneath her chin as she rubbed it thoughtfully. "I had originally thought of a distraction of some kind. One of us luring the doctors away while the other grabs Snap. But that might backfire on us." She looked at Rudy. "If they find Snap is missing, they might call a search party, or use the cameras and figure out one of us did it. I'm sure they have cameras even in the patients' rooms."

Rudy furrowed his eyebrows. Yeah that was true. He didn't have a doubt in his mind that they would have something like that. They'd want to make sure the patients were safe, and if any misconduct occurs, they would have footage to prove it. He agreed with Penny's sentiments. Sneaking in and out, at least this time around, was not going to cut it. They needed another plan.

Penny continued, "So I went back to the drawing board...mentally speaking of course, and there is something we could try. But one of us would have to go back home."

Rudy stared at her for a few moments, confused. Why would one of them have to go back home? Just what was Penny planning?

Penny caught his confusion and continued, "You see, the idea I had is one of us goes into the doctors' office and inform them that Snap is highly allergic to most of their medications, and that he has a family doctor he needs to go to. This won't be easy and I'm sure they are going to want proof. I am going to need you to write a forgery letter so this plan can work. Once one of us can convince the doctors that Snap needs to be relocated, one of our parents can take him."

"Our parents?" Rudy asked, perplexed.

Penny nodded her head. "Yeah, that's why I said one of us has to go back to your place. It'd probably have to be you, Rudy, as your portal is the closest. You'll need to tell your parents that Mr. Wilter found Snap injured and had required your assistance with something." Rudy nodded his head slowly as he tried to digest what Penny was telling him. "Then tell them where Snap needs to be taken. We'll figure out a hospital nearby soon."

"And what if they want to take him home...?" Rudy asked.

Penny replied, "Don't worry. I thought of that, too." Penny smiled. "Just tell them that his parents will be coming to pick us up. After we take Snap to the hospital and spend some time with him, we'll head back to the real world, but we'll pick a location that's a little away from your house, so that it looks like his parents dropped us off a little further away."

"And your mom?" Rudy asked.

"I left her a note. Don't worry, it's already taken care of." Penny stated.

Rudy thought about Penny's plan. It was certainly better and more well thought out than anything he could come up with. Penny had really thought about everything, or at least as much as possible. If this plan worked, then they could get Snap to safety without rousing security or making the doctors or their parents suspicious. He thought about the plan over and over, going over all the details. While there was still a margin for error, it seemed as though this plan could really work.

He quickly realized that this plan was indeed their best shot at getting Snap back without much of a hassle. And it may very well be the quickest way. Sneaking him out would require too much work and delay the help he so desperately needed. But if they convince the doctors that he needed help elsewhere... Yeah that could work much better. If the doctors are convinced that Snap needed help in a different hospital and fast, they would be more inclined in helping him being transported. At first, he wondered why Penny wanted his parnets involved, but he realized it was probably to make things less suspicious. A couple of kids demanding a patient be relocated would be a bit on the odd side.

Rudy looked over at the floating writing one more time before turning his attention to Penny. He nodded his head. "Okay...let's do this."

sss

Snap's mind was groggy and kind of slow. He was having a hard time getting a full sense of his surroundings. He understood enough that he could feel as though he was in a place he really didn't want to be. But he was unable to fully react, or even speak. Any time he tried to, he found that he was just too weak. It didn't help that his head was spinning, that sharp stabbing pain from before back and stronger than ever.

The sickness... It has to be the sickness.. The infection had spread further, and now it had him in its tight, iron grip. He had never felt this horrible before. Everything ached. Everything hurt. And the strong sensation of nausaea was hanging over his head like some kind of stone.

He slowly looked left and right. He was aware that he was in some kind of room. White room. Hospital perhaps? Or maybe somewhere else? He wasn't sure, and he couldn't really think hard enough to realize what other places he could possibly be. It was hard keeping his eyes open. He fought in half-hearted desperation to prevent his eyes from closing, to keep himself from falling asleep. He didn't want to sleep here. That feeling of dread...telling him that he might be hurt if he did... He must stay awake, somehow.

He remembered, vaguely, doctors trying to inject him with something. He had put up a fuss, knocking away needles and reacting terrified to them. The doctors had gotten frustrated as they kept trying to inject him. They said it was for his own good. Snap, even in his groggy, semi-confused state, knew that he was going to be worse off if they tried to inject him with anything. Thankfully, the doctors eventually gave up, some murmuring that he was probably highly allergic.

Snap wished he could confirm that. He really would have some kind of reaction if he had any of that stuff injected into him. A deadly reaciton. But he could only make small squeaks, groans, and the occasional scream whenever the pain in his head or arm got worse. Trying to form any words took too much effort, and his weakened mind just couldn't handle it right now.

Snap wondered what happened to Mr. Wilter. He..had been arrested, he thought. For what? Kidnapping or something else? Snap couldn't feel too much surprise at this. As his muggy mind came somewhat into focus, he recalled that Mr. Wilter was the reason he was in so much pain. He gave him that deep gash in his arm. He was the one who kidnapped him. Though Snap felt grateful in the end that he did change his ways and started being nicer to him, Snap still felt a level of bitterness towards the man, even in his weakened state.

Snap remembered only bits and pieces of what happened. The fever that ravaged his body also kept him confused and tired, making him fall asleep much of the time. He had a hard time recalling much of what happened recently. He was able to recall enough to have an idea of just how he got here. The police found out, but how? Did Rudy call them? Then..where was he? Why hadn't he come in here to get him back into ChalkZone? Rudy wouldn't abandon him...would he?

He tried to shake the thought out of his head. It was a little hard, considering how tired and confused he was. He was not able to think as clearly as he usually would, so he tried his best to refrain from attempting any heavy thinking. There had to be a reason Rudy wasn't here yet. He would find out soon enough. He would save the speculating for later, when he felt better. Right now, he needed rest.

He shifted himself in the hospital bed he was placed on. Next to him was a machine. The only thing attached to him was something against his hand to monitor his heartbeat. This required no inserting of needles and it was the only thing he didn't really fight against the doctors for. The doctors seemed happy to finally be able to do something for him, even if it was very minor and wouldn't really tell them too much. The sound of the heart monitor beeping was surprisingly soothing, and as he pressed his head against the pillow, he became more and more relaxed.

He soon found himself closing his eyes, only to force them open and shake his head a little. No, he couldn't fall asleep. Not now. If he did, the doctors might try to inject him with real world fluid. If that happened...

The zoner let out a small whimper as he imagined the pain, how it would feel cutting throug his body. He needed to keep himself awake so he didn't wake up with parts of his body dissolved. He might be overreacting. The doctors here may not try to inject him with anything while he's asleep. But the fever was making him think more irrationally, and he couldn't help but feel paranoid that they might indeed do something like that.

Snap tried to at least relax in the bed. He tried to settle down and tell himself that it was going to be okay. But he couldn't shake off the feeling of dread as he laid there. He was not so groggy that he was unaware of the danger he was in. He was in a real world hospital. He hadn't forgotten about that. He was in danger as long as he stayed here, and he knew that he was going to get sicker unless he gets back into ChalkZone. He could already feel the fever climbing up a little more, and he was so cold. Oh so cold... He pulled the blanket over his body and shivered, his teeth chattering.

He wished that the police hadn't come. He wished he could have stayed with Mr. Wilter until Rudy hopefully came. He wished Rudy had went with a different plan than calling the police and having the teacher arrested. He felt warm and comfortable in the man's arms, safe enough to fall asleep. He understood that Rudy meant well, but now things have gotten more complicated. And in his state, he was not very capable of figuring out a way to get out of here on his own.

But he couldn't bring himself to be angry at Rudy. How could he be mad? Even if he weren't so sick it was hard for him to think well, he still wouldn't be too mad. He probably would have called the police, too, if he were in Rudy's shoes. Rudy was only trying to help, and calling the police did seem like the sensible solution. And Rudy was so distraught when he had last seen him. He could see Rudy being driven to doing something a little more drastic than he normally would.

Although it was unlikely, Snap hoped that they would be able to find him. He hoped that, somehow, they knew what happened to him and were on their way to save him. He wanted to see them again. He hadn't seen him in almost a full day. He missed them..he missed them so much. And his friends in ChalkZone, too. He wanted to go back into ChalkZone. He...he wanted to go home...

Suddenly, he heard the door opened up. Two shadows casted in the room. They stretched along the ground and snaked up the wall to his side. Snap stared at the shadows, noticing one was taller and thinner than the other. His confused mind was slow to process the information, and he didn't fully realize what was going on. He could hear footsteps coming closer to him. Clanging against the ground, one heavier than the other. Snap realized he should know these footsteps, that he should know what was going on. But in the moment, he was too tired to really think of what was happening.

He, slowly, heavily, turned his head over. His eyelids were kept barely apart as he fought against sleepiness, and stared at whoever had entered his room. He couldn't see them that well. His vision was slightly blurred and shadows were casted on their faces, obscuring them. He could cach a few minor details, like they both seemed to have dark eyes, and the short one had sleek, black hair, while the other had curly red hair.

Black hair and red hair... Shouldn't he know these features? Something about them seemed..familiar. He could have sworn he had met some people like this before. His slow mind gradually put the pieces together as the two figures approached him. Eventually, it all became glare to Snap, and as their faces were revealed, his heart race began to quicken, reflected off the small heart minotor before him, beeping filling the room.

"Hello, Snap White. Mind if we..chat...?" A male human asked.

Snap's eyes widened as much as they could under his grogginess and he clenched his teeth. He couldn't believe it. How..how did they find out where he was? How did they get here? How did they get back here? Snap's head pounded with more agony as the realization of who was in the room dawned on him.

It was Terry Bouffant and Vinnie Raton.

"Oh don't be so scared. We won't bite..." Terry side as she stroked the top of Snap's head gently. "We just want to ask you a few questions... I think you will find you are in no condition to resist. So, why not make it easier on ourself and...cooperate?"

Snap felt his heart freeze in cold terror and he stared up at the two humans in fear. Just..just what did they want from him? As he laid there, he could only hope that Rudy and Penny find him in time, before these two had time to interrogate him.


	10. Unexpected Consequences

Terry folded her arms and stared down at the so-called 'foreign exchance student', a smile spread across her face. She couldn't believe it had been this easy to get to the kid. All she and Vinnie really had to do was lie and say they were his aunt and uncle. It wasn't like the blue kid was in any position to protest. He had no parents, and thus, no way to disprove their claim. And the doctors...well of course they would believe them. Heck, Vinnie's accent was enough to convince them.

But still..not everyone in this hospital was so stupid. Not all of them would be fooled. They had little time to get the information they needed, so she had to hurry things along. Plus, there was the issue of that wretched brat, Rudy. He would surely come by the hospital and try to rescue his friend. He had been a thorn in her side for too long, and she was not going to let him ruin another one of her plans. She would have to do something about him sometime.

But for now, she needed to focus on what she came here for. She stared at the blue kid, her eyes boring into his. She had been there, when she heard the report of a kidnapping. She had followed the police, attempting to record them for her new show. She hadn't been allowed into the building for fear of her 'getting hurt'. This frustrated her to no end. But that frustration disappeared quickly when she found out who the kidnapped child was. She had to do a double take because, for a few seconds, she thought she was seeing things. But no, it turned out to be true. The kidnapped child turned out to be Snap White.

Upon seeing the kid being taken into the car, she immediately contacted Vinnie. She remembered just how excited he had sounded when she told him about Snap being trapped in the real world. The best part was he was ill, meaning he couldn't just get up and run away. He would be easy to interrogate in this state. She was aware that the fever may cause him to produce false results, but they'd still get more information out of him this way.

Terry took notice of the makeshift cast around his arm. She cocked up an eyebrow. She wondered why Mr. Wilter would hurt Snap, and pondered what the zoner had done to earn that kind of attack. But the curiosity was fleeting. It didn't really matter to her how he got the injury and why. All that mattered now was that information, and she had Snap right there, defenseless and without his friends to protect him. His weak state would make it hard for him to resist an interrogation. She shut off the heart monitor before continuing, knowing the zoner's increased heart rate could attract attention.

"You know, it's really quite amusing." Terry said, her eyes scanning over Snap's body and the bed he had been placed in.

"What are you talking about, sister?" Vinnie inquired, giving her a perplexed expression.

Terry just smiled at him. Of course Vinnie wouldn't see it. He never was all that bright. Not stupid by any means, but lacking in common sense in some areas. If he had taken enough time to look, he would see what she does. No matter, she would enlighten him.

Terry kept her gaze on Vinnie as she spoke. "Don't you think it's pretty silly for the doctors to waste their time trying to help a zoner?" She glanced back at Snap. His scared expression directed at her only served to broaden her smile. "Any and all efforts would fail. Something as simple as a shot would kill him. Thus the nature of zoners..."

"Oh that's right, yeah!" Vinnie nodded his head. He aimed a finger in Terry's direction. "Though they would find out he's chalk if they do a simple...test." He jabbed an elbow into Terry. "Know what I'm saying?"

Terry narrowed her eyes. She pushed Vinnie to the side. He looked at her, his expression silently saying 'what did I do?'. She groaned and shook her head. Typical Vinnie. Always wanting to rush into things. Never once planning ahead. This was how he wasn't able to expose ChalkZone. He was too busy trying to prepare for his ChalkZone amusement part that he didn't properly prepare. No wonder he was kicked out so easily. He should have been more subtle, going in more quietly. He should have planned ahead.

But then could she blame him? This was something that she learned the hard way before. She was so gun-ho about proving ChalkZone's existence that she didn't make sure that Snap couldn't get help. If she had just kept him at the studio and locked him up, the cobalt brat wouldn't have been able to bring Rudy to the studios. All she really had to do was put him back in her purse and seal it tightly, and he would have been completely trapped. She would have won.

That was also why, she was certain, that Boorat's attempt to steal the magic chalk failed. Perhaps she and Vinnie were too careless when they only gave him orders to steal it, but not anything for him to be quieter about it. For all she knew, he was constantly screeching 'must find the magic chalk' and blew his own cover.

No, this time, they weren't going to screw things up again. They weren't going to go into this blindly. They were going to be quieter about things. No matter how angry she got, she needed to keep her cool. This meant that, even if she wanted to, she could not really hurt Vinnie or Snap. A scream would surely draw attention from the doctors. If they came in and saw how scared Snap was of them, they would realize something was up and they'd get arrested. And there would go all their efforts, down the drain.

Calming herself down, she forced her frown back into a smile. She looked down at Snap, her eyes once again taking note of his injured arm, and she could also see just how red his face appeared. He looked so frail... It was such a convincing act.

"If only the doctors knew they were wasting their time." Terry commented. She reached down and traced a finger along the makeshift cast. Snap cringed and whimpered, but he was obviously too weak to resist much. "Helping him is a waste."

Vinnie nodded in agreement. "You're telling me!" He glanced down at the sick zoner. "None of the equipment here would make a difference."

"Even if it did work, it'd still be a waste of their time. Snap is a zoner." Terry said callously. Her icy glare pierced through Snap's. "And zoners are replaceable. They are nothing more than children's drawings that can walk around. Protecting their lives is meaningless. Why should anyone care about what happens to them, when they can just as easily be redrawn?"

"Oh I gotcha!" Vinnie said. "I couldn't agree with you more..." He looked down at the whimpering Snap, a somewhat disturbed expression on his face.

Terry held out her hand to stop him. He looked at her with a disappointed expression. "However, even though we have no reason to care what happens to the little...animal.." Terry said in a deragotory tone, staring right at Snap as she said it. She felt no remorse, not even when Snap gave her a horrified expression. "We cannot hurt him, otherwise we will draw attention to ourselves."

Vinnie frowned at this. "I see..." He sounded so disappointed. Typical Vinnie. He looked at Snap with contempt. Terry wondered briefly what Snap did to get him upset. These thoughts disappeared the moment Vinnie looked up at her. "So..how do we go about this?"

"I'll make the first move." Terry said.

Terry glanced at the door, making sure that no one was coming. Once she was certain the coast was clear, she turned her attention back to Snap. She moved towards him slowly. He eyed her fearfully, his body shaking. No sarcastic remarks. No retorts. Just pure fear. He really must be sick if he can't even verbally fight back. Perfect... Not having to deal with his attitude was certainly a blessing.

She lowered herself onto the bed next to him. Snap cringed away from her. He didn't get far before he hit his arm. He yelped in pain and clutched it to himself. Terry took this chance to sling her arm around Snap's body, holding him against herself. Snap attempted to struggle, but he was too weak to fight back for very long. Soon he was somewhat limp against her. She could feel him shivering against her body, could detect the slight pressure from him breathing in and out. Out of curiosity, she pressed her free hand against his chest. Just as she thought. It was pounding so hard, she thought it was going to burst out of his chest.

"I see you are scared. Well I will assure you, Snap White... We are not going to hurt you. We only want to talk." Terry said, trying to sound as gentle as she could. "So will you cooperate with us? The sooner we get this done, the sooner we will leave you alone." She moved her hand up to touch his cheek lightly. "What do you say?"

Despite her effort to get Snap to be more cooperative, he was being anything but. He would try to struggle against her once in a while, despite his weakness and pain. He looked up at her fearfully and cringed as far back as he could. He hadn't even tried to speak to her at this point, as if he were too afraid to talk.

Terry narrowed her eyes at this. She gritted her teeth in frustration as Snap continued to resist. She quickly calmed herself down. She wanted to get the information out of him with the least amount of force as possible. If she or Vinnie did anything to hurt him, he would definitely speak up about it. She and Vinnie would both get arrested, just like Mr. Wilter was. She couldn't afford having something like that happen. Once she and Vinnie had a prison record, that was it. She would be lucky to find any news station who would take her seriously after that.

There were other means of making someone talk as well. Sometimes, pain wasn't the best motivator. Pain could get quick results, but they can be inaccurate, especially if the victim was just so desperate to get away from the pain, they just say whatever came to their mind. She grinned as a thought came to her mind. She knew exactly how she was going to get Snap to speak.

"Say, Snap... How are your friends in ChalkZone?" Terry asked. Vinnie shot her a confused expression. She ignored it, her eyes focused on Snap. As soon as she saw him lift up his head and stare at her worriedly, she continued, "How's the weather in ChalkZone? Perfect all the time? Or do you guys get some nasty storms?"

Snap's eyes bulged in horror at this. Terry's smile broadened. It seemed the little brat was already connecting the dots to what she was implying. She ran her fingers through her hair, tossing it back as she closed her eyes. Yes, this would break Snap. She would get the information out of him this way. The little chalk creature would surely want to do whatever it took to keep his friends from getting hurt.

Terry reopened her eyes and leaned away from Snap. She still kept a good grip on him, ensuring that he could not get away from her. She rested her chin in her hand, giving Snap a sly, knowing smile. She practically told Snap everything of what she was intending, and all wordlessly, too. Snap clearly got the message and he started to shiver a little harder, looking up at her pleadingly.

"Do you guys get twisters? What about ones as wide as a city?" She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm, or what about rain made out of lava? Or strong gusts of wind filled with a deadly toxin?"

"N-No..." Snap whimpered. His voice was coarse and scratchy. He attempted to struggle again. "P-Please..."

Terry responded by grabbing onto him tighter. She lifted Snap out of the bed and forced him to sit on her lap. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into an unwanted hug. The zoner jerked himself from side to side. His overheating body was too weak to struggle for long. He soon gave a painful sneeze and shuddered, his body slumping against hers. She reached up with one of her hands and caressed his head gently.

"That would be just awful, don't you think, Vinnie?" Terry asked, giving the short man a sideways glance.

Vinnie nodded his head. A broad grin spread across his face. "Oh yes, it would!" He looked at Snap, smirking as the sick zoner started to shed tears. "It would be a shame if something happened to your little friends." He followed this up by rubbing one of his fists against the palm of his hand. He stopped when Terry gave him a warning look.

"Y-You're not..." Snap said. His voice sounded worse. Very dry, and it sounded like he was struggling to speak.

"Well, we won't...if you cooperate." Terry said.

"That's right." Vinnie said. Snap glanced over at him, his eyes wide in fear. Vinnie pointed a finger in his direction. "Comply with us, and they will be fine. If you resist...well.." He held up his hand in gesture. "Anything that happens to them, it will be all your fault."

Snap's eyes widened in horror at this. He looked from Vinnie and Terry a few times. His body trembled harder. He let out a few low whimpers, tears flowing down his face. He looked terrified. If he were a real person, Terry would feel some guilt about doing this. But knowing he was nothing more than a drawing that happened to look like a child, she knew there was no reason for the guilt. She just smiled as she watched Snap react so fearfully. It was clear that they had just found the perfect threat.

Snap once again started to struggle against her. He jerked himself from side to side. He was using more energy, more than she thought he was capable of doing. She tightened her grip on him, securing him against her. Snap started to let out louder whimpers, his eyes widening as panic began to flow through his body. Terry narrowed her eyes at this. If Snap made too much noise, he would surely draw attention. Before Snap had a chance to scream, she quickly clamped a hand over his mouth. She then forced his head back, causing him to flinch in pain as he was forced to look up at her.

Glaring at him in the eyes, the red-headed woman snarled, "If you scream, I will make sure you regret it... Do you understand..?" Feeling Snap nodded his head rapidly, she said, "Good. Now then..."

Suddenly, something happened that Terry and Vinnie did not expect. Even Snap was surprised by this turn of events.

There was a click of the door. The turn of the knob. Terry and Vinnie slowly turned their heads over, along with Snap, and stared at the doorway. There, standing at the entrance, was one of the nurses. She had her back turned to them, clearly having not noticed there were some visitors in the room, especially ones who were terrorizing Snap.

Terry took notice of what she was bringing in. A tray with some soup. Terry immediately made the connection and realized it was for Snap. She wondered if the doctors had tried needled earlier but...well as she would imagine, Snap would have fought back. This however...this would get a much worse reaction out of him. Terry shuddered at the thought of chalky organs spilling all over the place as Snap's stomach was ripped open. She shook the thought out of her head, her mind racing.

What was she going to do? In a matter of seconds, that nurse was going to turn around. She didn't have enough time to get away. There was no time to warn Snap not to do anything suspicious. The nurse was right there... She would hear him... She gritted her teeth. There had to be something she could do.

Then she saw Vinnie. The man had started to sneak over to the woman, being as quiet as a mouse. Terry realized what he was going to do, and so did Snap. The zoner attempted to warn the woman, but Terry clamped her hand over his mouth, gagging him.

Terry hissed into his ear, "Make a sound, brat, and I will send that wind of poison through your hometown."

Vinnie crept closer to the nurse. The uniformed woman reached down to grab the soup. She didn't get a chance to when Vinnie grabbed her from behind. Her eyes bulged as she attempted to scream. Vinnie hand gagged her and pulled on her until she was on her back. He dragged her far enough away that she wouldn't be able to kick the tray away. Despite being shorter, he was clearly a lot stronger than the woman as he maintained his hold on her even as she flailed on the ground. Hand still pressed tightly against her mouth, Vinnie grabbed her nose and pinched it.

The nurse's eyes filled with terror when she realized her oxygen supply was cut off. She thrashed harder on the ground. Vinnie tightened his grip, holding her head against his chest. The woman tried desperately to get a breath of air. Terry watched the scene coldly, while Snap looked on in horror, as Vinnie continued to suffocate the nurse. Her muffled cries filled the room. Then, finally, after about a minute or so so passed, the woman stopped thrashing and her eyes slowly closed.

Vinnie dropped her roughly to the ground. He got up onto his knees and pressed his finger against her throat. He looked over at Terry. "She's still alive. Just passed out."

"Good." Terry said, her eyes narrowed. "The last thing we need is a murder to add to our tab." She gave a sideways glance to Snap. "They will be coming for us. Seems we cannot continue our interrogation." At this, Snap looked relieved, but still terrified. "If you tell anyone about this..."

"Hey, why don't we just take him along?" Vinnie suggested. "We won't even get blamed for it. They will just think that Wilter guy did something."

Terry's eyes twinkled. It was true. Mr. Wilter was the one arrested for kidnapping a child. Not her, and not Vinnie. They would not be suspects when Snap goes missing again. The nurse didn't even see her or Vinnie, so she wouldn't be able to identify them. If they sneak out of here and run towards her apartment, Mr. Wilter would be the one blamed. The man was already locked up; she imagined he would get a worse punishment than this.

The thought made a smile spread across her face. Someone else suffering for a crime she and Vinnie committed... She liked it. And with Wilter suffering punishment, she and Vinnie would be free to do whatever they wanted to Snap. Granted, she still wanted to avoid actually hurting him. But they would have nothing to fear from the cops. Mr. Wilter was going to suffer for them.

"That's a...brilliant idea, Vinnie." Terry looked over at hi.

Vinnie looked surprised. "It is?" He shook his head, speaking again with more confidence. "Why of course it is!"

Terry nodded her head. "Yes, for once, you are useful."

"Why thank...hey!" Vinnie cried.

Terry pressed a finger against her lips. "Shush. We don't want to draw attention to ourselves." She looked down at Snap. She could see the look of desperation in his eyes. The way his eyes were darting constantly towards the door. Terry narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Don't even try to make noise, Snap, and you better hold still. Otherwise...well..." After ripping off the thing attached to his arm for monitoring his heart rate, she leaned in and whispered into his ear harshly, "Your world is about to have a...nasty outbreak of weather..."

Not bothering to wait to see if Snap understood her terms, Terry got up from the bed. She threw Snap roughly back into it, prompting a grunt of pain from him. Vinnie walked over towards the machine and began to rip out several of the cords that were attached to it. While he did this, she went to work ripping off part of the makeshift cast, removing the bit that secured his arm to his chest. With that gone, she flipped him onto his stomach and pulled his arms behind his back

Vinnie returned to her side, holding some wires. Terry proceeded to tie Snap up. She crossed his arms over each other and wrapped the wires around, securing them together. She then looped some of the wires across his chest, causing some wires to press against the zoner's forearms and secured his limbs against his side. Turning him over onto his back, she took more wires and bound his legs together.

After that, she left Snap's side for a few seconds. She grabbed a large emergency bag that was stuffed in the closet. It was empty, and quite large. She also grabbed one of the spare pillow cases, as well as a spare sock that the nurses must have forgotten to grab. She returned to the trembling zoner, who was staring up at her fearfully.

She gave a nod to Vinnie, who immediately knew what she wanted. He reached over and grabbed Snap's head. After prying his mouth open, Terry stuffed the sock into the blue kid's mouth. Then she took the cloth and pressed it across his mouth, tight enough to flatten his lips. She secured it behind his head. The last thing she did was take the remaining wires and tie them around Snap's head, looping it underneath his chin and securing his jaws together.

"There...that should keep him quiet." Terry said, placing her hand against her hips, looking pleased with what she had done.

"Hey, how are we going to get out of here?" Vinnie asked, scratching his head. "What if someone sees us?"

"Oh don't worry. The doctors won't be in this hallway until lunchtime. The only reason Snap got soup at this time was because the doctors wanted to help him feel better." Terry said. "They must be pretty concerned about him..." She narrowed her eyes. "How pathetic..."

Snap let out muffled whimpers, his cheeks staining with tears, as Terry lifted him up into her arms. She made another head gesture to Vinnie. He immediately came over and unzipped the bag. Terry held him over and, quite carelessly, dropped him in. Snap let out a muffle cry of pain as the back of his head hit against the ground. Terry knelt down and grabbed the zipper. She looked at Snap's terror-filled expression and smiled.

"Remember...make no move, and we will not do anything to your friends..."

With that, Terry began to pull the zipper. She stared into Snap's scared eyes the whole time as she sealed him up into the bag. Once he was nice and secure, she grabbed the straps and lifted him up. She had hardly any trouble. Snap was very light, and she was able to support his weight over her arms using the straps quite easily.

Terry looked over at Vinnie and said, "Come on, let's get going. The sooner we get back to my place..."

"The sooner we can squeeze that little brat for any information we want." Vinnie said with a grin. Then he paused, his eyes narrowing. "Unless that Rudy kid.."

Terry growled, anger twisting in her heart at the mention of that boy's name. "Don't worry about that little brat. We'll take care of him soon enough." She started to head towards the door. "Let's worry about getting back to my place before we're.."

Just as Terry started to walk out of the door, she slammed into something soft and solid. She took a few steps back, shaking her head.

"Hey watch where you..." Terry's voice trailed off when she realized just what she had bumped into.

Vinnie's eyes widened in terror. "Oh no..."

It was one of the doctors. He was staring at them, his eyes wide in shock and confusion. He was larger and clearly stronger than they were. For several seconds, he just looked at them, his pupils darting from her and Vinnie. The man seemed to connect the dots quickly. He lunged forward, attempting to grab them.

"Let's get out of here!" Vinnie cried.

Terry didn't complain with that sentiment. She and Vinnie thrust themselves against the doctor, knocking them back. Stealth didn't matter anymore. They had been spotted. So much for getting away without anyone putting the blame on them. All she and Vinnie could do now was run. They at least had Snap with them, so she could still gain access into ChalkZone.

As she ran, she could hear the click of a radio. Her racing mind barely had time to ask why a doctor would have a radio when she heard the doctor bark a command.

"Code red! Code red! A kidnapping is in progress!"

sss

"Here you go, Penita." Mrs. Sanchez said as she pulled up into the parking lot. She turned the keys and shut off the car. She furrowed her eyes a little. "Are you sure you don't want me to take your friend home? I don't mind..."

"No." Penny waved her hand in front of her. "Don't worry about it, mom. Rudy said his parents will pick up Snap."

"In that case, why did we come at all?" Mrs. Sanchez asked, looking at her daughter somewhat suspiciously. "Is there something you're not telling me..?"

Penny grinned nervously, looking left and right as she tried to think of an answer. This plan wasn't going as well as she had hoped. She didn't think her mom would get suspicious of bringing her here. Perhaps she didn't think this plan through as much as she thought she did. But she couldn't back out now. Snap was in andger and they had little time to get him out. If the doctors tried to stick a needle in him...

She had to think of some story her mother would buy. Something that would save this plan so they can get Snap to safety. So little time... She didn't think she could think of an alternative plan if this one fell through. There was no way she could. The doctors could be on their way now, and she doubted there would be much in the hospital to slow them down.

Thinking quickly, Penny said, "Rudy wanted me to come here with the documents to give to the doctors, regarding Snap's allergies. He wasn't going to be able to make it until later, he was worried that the doctors may have caused a severe allergic reaction before he had time to get here." Penny tried her best to sound convincing, but she was worried that her voice was too shaky. But she still kept talking, knowing that if she fell silent too soon, it would likely make her mom even more suspicious. "He had given me a list to give to the doctor. I'm just running in, handing the doctor the list, and coming back.

Mrs. Sanchez stared at her daughter for a few seconds. It was hard to tell if she believed her story or not. She was too quiet, to unreadable. Thankfully this lasted only a few seconds before Mrs. Sanchez changed her expression. But it wasn't what Penny hoped it would be. Mrs. Sanchez's eyes narrowed even more, and she had a stronger disbelieving look. Penny bit her lip. Had she screwed up the plan in its early stage? Had she blown the best chance she and Rudy had to get Snap out of the hospital?

Mrs. Sanchez said, "It still seems so strange. Rudy could have just called and..."

"H-He did call! Yeah..." Penny said quickly. Mrs. Sanchez looked at her expectantly, still confused. Penny scrambled to find the words. "He said that he...called and they...said they wanted to documents." Penny tripped over her own words. She smiled nervously, hoping her mother would buy this story. "And since I have them, he wanted me to take them."

"And you have Snap's documents because...?" Mrs. Sanchez inquired.

Penny bit her lip. "Um..."

Penny wasn't sure how to respond to this. She hadn't thought that far yet. She didn't think her mom was going to ask these sort of questions on her. She had hoped that her mom would be more believing of her so she can get in and out of the hospital faster. There wasn't much time. She had to get in there and not only tell the doctors about Snap's allergies, but also how Mr. and Mrs. Tabootie are going to pick him up and bring him home. She was the one with the documents. She is the one who had to convince the doctors, and if she failed, Snap...was going to be in a really bad place.

There had to be someway to get her mom to believe her. Her mom was wasting time as it was. If she stood here with her for too much longer, Snap might... She shivered and shook her head. She couldn't think like that. Not now. Snap was okay...she was certain of it. He had to be fine. He was probably laying down in that bed, waiting for someone to get him out. If everything somehow pulls through, then he will be out and back into ChalkZone where he belongs.

He needs to get to a chalk hospital and fast. She remembered that Snap's injured arm was swollen and pussy. And how sick he was... The infection from the zonr's injuries, and likely his own clothing, caused him to become very sick. Rudy's description of Snap's pale complexion worried her even more. If Snap doesn't get treatment of that wound soon...

"Well, I'm still confused but..." Mrs. Sanchez said. She paused for a moment, biting her lip. She turned to Penny and gave her a small smile. "I trust your judgment. If you and Rudy feel this is the best way, then..I may not understand it, but I trust you two enough."

"Thank you, mom." Penny beamed.

Mrs. Sanchez raised a finger. "But just to make sure..." She lowered her finger and motioned her hand towards her daughter. "Snap's parents are picking him up, right? And they are going to a hospital, right?"

Penny nodded her head. "Affirmative."

Mrs. Sanchez gave a serious nod, her face filled with solemness. "That's good. From what you described...yes, that boy needs medical help."

Penny felt a pang in her chest at this comment. Her mind sifted back to what Rudy had told her about the wound. She could picture it so vividly in her head. She bit her lip, trying her best to fight back her tears. Poor Snap... She couldn't begin to imagine the pain he must be going through right now. She wondered if he could even get any sleep with that arm. She knew he needed to get it treated and fast. If the infection is bad enough to start a fever and cause sneezing like Rudy described, then her friend was in real danger.

She hoped that her plan worked. If she and Rudy played their parts like she had thought of, then everything should be okay. They would have Snap out of the hospital and somewhere safe. He would go back to ChalkZone, to a hospital there, and get treated. He would be able to begin making a full recovery there. He wouldn't need to worry about Mr. Wilter anymore. As much as she was angry at Rudy at calling on the man, if there was one positive outcome, it's that Mr. Wilter could not harm Snap again.

She was still bitter with the man for what he had done. She couldn't believe that Mr. Wilter would be so cruel. She would have thought that he would be more responsible than that. He was the one teaching a class full of students. He was the one who would stop fights if they happen, and punish if need be. How could he, someone who claims to be a responsible adult, do something so unbelievably heartless to another living being? How could he force that cuff through her friend's arm like that? What did Snap do to deserve it? What was the point? What was Mr. Wilter trying to accomplish?

Well there was no use complaining about it now. Mr. Wilter was arrested and out of the way. She and Rudy could speak their minds to him later. Right now, they have to get Snap out. He was more important to her than chewing out her teacher.

"I'll be right here waiting, okay?" Mrs. Sanchez said, breaking her daughter out of her thoughts. "Though...if you want me to come in with you, I could."

Penny shook his head. "It's okay, mom. I'll be quick." She began to head towards the building. "I'll be out before you know it!"

"Okay, Penita." Mrs. Sanchez said.

Penny could tell her mother was confused and worried. She couldn't blame her. Mrs. Sanchez had been horrified when she was informed that one of her friends was injured. She had assumed it was Rudy at first, but Penny quickly corrected her, telling her it was Snap. This had confused her mother, as she hardly knew anything about him. She knew Snap was a foreign exchange student, or so she and Rudy say, but she didn't realize just how close a friend he was to her. It was, to her mother, pretty sudden.

But of course, her mother didn't really stay confused at the topic for long. After all, it's not uncommon for people to meet friends in other places. What concerned her mother more was the injury she described. Her mom had wanted to try to help, if she could, but Penny had to come up with whatever excuse she could to make sure she didn't do that. She knew the consequences if her mom tried to get involved. Snap was already hurt badly enough. She couldn't afford to let her mom injure her friend by mistake.

The ten year old girl headed towards the hospital doors. She pushed them open and stepped inside. She looked around, looking at the signs hanging on the ivory-colored walls. The rush of warm air greeted her, but that did little to lift up her mood. The only thing the warm air did was remind her of how chilly she herself felt about the situation.

She walked down the hallway. It was somewhat long with multiple doors on the side. She soon found one that had a sign on it reading 'Receptionist'. She opened up the door and entered. She found herself in a large room with multiple rows of chairs. Up ahead, she could see a slanted wall with a window. Behind it, she could see a male receptionist. Though she wasn't sure if she chose the right place, it wouldn't hurt to talk to him. Worse comes to worse, she could just ask him which way she should go to find her friend. He would be an easy person to identify, with that costume of his.

Penny walked up to the receptionist. He stared down at her. She flinched. He did not appear the friendliest. Although his expression looked more tired than angry. He must have had a long shift. She decided to speak softly and try not to sound like she was demanding anything. The last thing she wanted to do was provoke this man and delay the help that she needed.

"Excuse me, sir, but do you happen to know if this was where my friend was taken?" Penny asked. "His name is Snap White and..."

The receptionist cut her off. "Afraid not, little girl." His tone was slightly bitter. He raised up his hand and pointed his finger down the hallway. "Your friend was taken down in Suite 204. Just keep following this pathway, then take a right. You should see it down there somewhere."

"Okay, thanks." Penny said. She turned around and walked away.

Well that went a little better than she expected. Though she was upset that she got the wrong room. That was more time she wasted for her friend. She hoped that she would get it right this time. She hoped that the man was right about the directions he gave her. She didn't know how long Snap could last here before one of the doctors forces a liquid into his body.

Penny headed down the hallway. She could see there were two paths up ahead. She kept her eye glued to the right path, which was where the man told her to go. The hallway was pretty plain, save for a few pictures and some signs labeling the various areas. She realized that the place she was headed towards was Emergency Room. Her heart skipped a beat at this. Her eyes widened in horror. She already knew her friend was in grave danger, so Snap being in an emergency room on its own isn't what horrified her. Instead, what caught her in the grip of dread was the fact that this section was teeming with doctors constantly checking on their patients. Snap was going to be constantly pestered by the doctors, and even if he kept resisting, sooner or later, one well meaning and forceful doctor was going to...

Suddenly, Penny froze as she heard something coming from the right hallway. Something steady, growing rapidly, almost like drums, but she knew they were not. The clammering of feet, heavy breathing. She realized that someone was running down this way, and they were running fast. She cautiously approached slowly, her eyes glued on the hallway. She pressed her back against the wall, inching her way over, keeping quiet. She soon heard a shockingly familiar voice.

"Let's hurry up! I don't know how much longer I can keep him quiet!"

Penny's eyes flew open in horror. That voice... No, it couldn't be... But as she saw two shadows on the wall, one tall, one short, familiar hairstyles... There were only two people she knew who looked like this.

Vinnie Raton and Terry Bouffant...

Penny felt a lump in her throat. Her head started to spin a little as shock swept through her. She took a shaking step back as she watched the two adults running down the hallway. Of all the people..these were the last two she ever wanted to see here. Her racing mind knew there was only reason reason they would be here. There would be only one possible explanation for why they were running away like this. And the thought filled her with dread.

They were trying to kidnap Snap...

She trembled as she pressed herself against the wall, hoping they wouldn't see her. She was alone in this hallway. She didn't know what they were going to do if they caught her. She had no line of defense here, and she couldn't think of a strategy quick enough to do much of anything. She wondered just how long they had been in there before they were spotted. They wouldn't be running like this if they weren't. And while that provided her with some comfort, she still wasn't able to completely push out her fear.

And that's when she saw it. As she stared at them carefully, she could see that Terry was holding a bag. She narrowed her eyes, watching it carefully. She realized that the bag was...moving... Her eyes flew open in horror as she realized that Snap must be in that bag.

Feelings of anger began to burn in her stomach. How dare she... How could Terry be so cruel? How could either of them be like that? Snap was sick, in a lot of pain, and yet those..those fiends shoved him in a bag like it was no big deal? Penny formed a fist with her hand, shaking it. They weren't going to get away with that. Snap didn't deserve to be treated like that. He needed help, and she'll be damned if she let Terry or Vinnie get away with hurting him more.

Soon, Vinnie and Terry came around the corner. They rushed passed Penny without noticing her. They stopped and pressed up against the wall, catching their breath. Penny would hear shouts and footsteps behind them, but it was a bit aways, giving the two adults time to catch their breath.

"I...didn't know they...could run so...fast..." Vinnie said. He pressed his hands against his thighs and leaned for ward. His mouth was wide open as he tried to restore his oxygen levels. "They're certainly giving me a run for my money." He wiped his head. "Phew... at least we're almost out of here."

Terry, on the other hand, didn't look like she broke a sweat. She glared down at Vinnie. "Oh suck it up, will you? I have had to carry this blue piece of dust around, and you don't see me complaining, now do you?" She held out the bag towards Vinnie as if to show him what she meant. "Or would you like to hold him?"

Vinnie put his hands out in front of him and shook his head frantically. "No thanks." He pointed at her. "You can do that."

"I thought so." Terry said as she put the strap over her shoulder. "Now we just need to..." Suddenly she grunted in pain and held her side. She glared down at the bag. She gripped it and lifted it roughly up. "Hey you! Stop struggling in there!" She hissed in a low voice. "Do that again, and I will make you regret it, do you hear me?" To emphasize her point, she pulled her fist back and punched the bag, prompting a loud whimper of pain.

This all but confirmed Penny's suspicions. Her eyes widened at Terry's act of cruelty towards her best friend. Her body trembled in rage. She gritted her teeth, her eyes narrowing in anger. That's it... That was the final straw... Knowing that her friend needed help badly, and anger ruling her mind, Penny...snapped.

The ten year old girl bolted towards the two adults. A part of her knew what she was about to do was crazy, but her mind wasn't listening at the moment. She just kept running, a low growl eminating from her throat. Her feet pounded the ground as she picked up speed, rapidly closing the small gap between her and the two evil adults. She didn't notice whether or not they spotted her. Her eyes were focused on the bag, narrowing in determination. As soon as she got close enough, she grabbed onto it and started to pull back.

"Let my friend go!" Penny shouted, baring her teeth.

Vinnie and Terry turned their heads. Their eyes widened in shock as they saw Penny trying to pull the bag away. They remained stunned for a few seconds before they reacted.

Terry grabbed onto the bag harder. "What do you think you're doing?!" She gave a sharp yank on the bag, dragging Penny a few steps forward. "This thing is mine! Why are you trying to steal it?!"

Vinnie went around behind Penny. He grabbed her shoulder and braced her down. "Let go, you little twerp!"

"No!" Penny grunted, holding the bag as tightly as she could. "You have my friend in there! Let him go! He didn't do anything to you!" She opened up one of her eyes and glared hatefully at Terry. "You won't get away with treating my friend so disrespectfully!"

Terry's eyes darkened. "We do not need to show respect to a chalk creature, genius girl." Her voice was icy cold.

Terry looked at Vinnie. She gave a nod of the head. At this, Vinnie gripped Penny's shoulders more tightly, keeping her in place. Then he started to pull backwards. Penny grunted and struggled against him. Seconds later, Terry pulled on the bag harder. Penny's eyes widened and she tried to pull the bag back. But the two adults were too strong for her and the strap was ripped from her hand painfully. She let out a cry of pain as the strap scraped across her palm, leaving a red mark.

The force that was generated from Penny being forced to let go was enough to cause the bag to snap back. Before Terry could do anything to stop it, the bag slammed against the wall. Another loud whimper came through the bag. Penny felt her heart twist in knots. The impact on the wall was pretty great. She felt a pang of guilt in her chest. She hoped that she didn't accidentally injure Snap's arm more, or cause more injuries.

Terry snarled at the bag and shook it roughly. "I told you to shut up!"

"Hey..." Penny started to say.

Terry rounded on her. As Vinnie held the girl still, Terry loomed over her. Penny cringed back, her angered expression replaced with a look of fear. Terry pointed a finger towards Penny, the tip of it very close to her face. "And as for you... Do you really think we are going to let you ruin this for us? This is our one chance at..." She growled softly as she heard the shouts. They were much closer now. Her eyes blazed in anger. "If we're caught because of this... you.."

Penny cringed back. She opened her mouth to speak, but Vinnie beat her to the punch.

"Hey, why the temper? We can resolve this issue quite easily." Vinnie said. He sneered at Penny. He released one arm from her, using his remaining hand to hold her still. He then patted her on the head. She shivered at this unwanted gesture. "We can just...force her to tag along for the ride."

Terry stared at Vinnie. At first, it looked as though she was going to go against the idea. She looked like she'd rather just toss Penny aside and make a run for it. But then, there was that glint in her eye. And when Terry looked back at Penny, the young girl gave a quick shake. She didn't like the way the woman was looking at her. She tried to move away, but Vinnie's grip on her was like a vice. She tried to scream, but Vinnie covered up her mouth.

"Oh no, little girl. Mustn't make noise..." Vinnie hissed at her. His large, strong hand pressed firmly against her lips, preventing her from making any noise outside of muffled sounds. Penny attempted to open her mouth, but Vinnie realized what she was going to do and tugged on her hair. She hissed in pain. "And if you even think of trying to bite me, and we cannot guarantee your friend's safety."

At this, Penny froze. Her wide eyes darted around, her heart pounding against her chest. She stared at the bag that held her friend, and then looked up at Terry. No sign of sympathy. Nothing indicating she felt sorry for Penny or her friend. It was nothing but a cold, dark abyss. The gaze nearly froze Penny with how chilly it was. Penny wanted to turn away, but she found it difficult to tear from Terry's stare.

"She and her partner came this way!"

Terry, Vinnie, and Penny turned their heads in the direction of that sound. The people pursuing Terry and Vinnie were nearly upon them now. Terry growled in frustration. Penny could see that the woman was trying to figure a way out. She could practically see the smoke coming out of her ears as her mind's gears turned and creaked inside her skull.

Soon, the red-haired woman glared down at her. "It's too much of a risk to leave you behind, kid. We can't have you warning Tabootie." She gave a nod to Vinnie. "Do it."

Vinnie smiled down at Penny. The girl let out muffled, panicked cries, struggling as Vinnie released his rip on her, but still held her against him. His hand was still pressed against her face, making her unable to speak anything. Vinnie pulled his fist back, aiming it for the base of her skull. Penny struggled harder, trying to free herself. But she could do nothing and, soon, she felt the fist slam against the base of her skull.

Penny's eyes flew open. Her body stiffened up, the impact against her skull sending reverberations through the bone. Pain wracked through her body, spreading along the base of her neck and head. Then, before she had time to recover, Vinnie, gripping her head, slammed her skull against the side of the hallway, making her let out a muffled cry.

Then, her world went black.


	11. A Really Risky Plan

"Mom! Dad! I can't sit here and dow nothing! I have to..."

"Now Rudy... I know you're upset. But you have to trust the police on this. They'll take care of it."

"But, dad...!"

"Settle down, Rudy. Your father is right. There's nothing you can do right now. You're too young... We don't want to lose you, too."

Rudy couldn't sit down, not now. He kept pacing in front of his parents, who were sitting on the couch. Rudy's mind was racing, twirling with thoughts. Tried as he might, he couldn't shake off the horrible images of what could have happened. He gritted his teeth, his stomach twisting in knots. How could he have been so stupid? He...he should have...

But there was nothing he could do about it now. He could sit here and mope, but it wasn't going to change what had happened. He took in a shaky breath, unable to believe what had transpired. He glanced at his parents. They gave him sympathetic looks. He turned away from them, a meek attempt to hide his own tears. But he knew he couldn't fool them. There was nothing he culd do to hide the sadness and horror that had a hold over him.

The ten year old boy turned his attention to the television set. On it, the news station was on. Pictures of the hospital, the same one that he believed Snap was taken to, was shown. He could see Penny's frantic mother, her face stained with tears, as she spoke to the reporter.

"...and then they just ran off with her!" Mrs. Sanchez cried. She made a few frantic motions with her hands, indicating a direction. "They drove off that way!"

The reporter, a young male with short black hair, nodded dutifully at her. He looked somewhat sympathetic, but he seemed more emotionally detached, perhaps as a result of being a reporter for so long. "Can you describe the people who took your daughter?"

Rudy bit his lip at this. He remembered how he had come down the steps, ready to leave for the hospital. He had noticed his parents were unusually quiet and he wondered if anything was wrong with them. He rushed into the living room and that was when he saw they had the television set on. Curious, he walked in closer to see what they were watchign. He had thought it was some kind of horror movie or enthralling comedy. And now he so desperately wished that had been the case.

The news was on, and in a few seconds, he learned the terrifying truth: His friend, Penny, had been kidnapped...

He felt as though the world shattered around him. He had lost two friends. Snap was still trapped in the hospital, and his parents wouldn't drive out there out of fear that something would happen to Rudy. His gut had burned in anger and he had tried to make them go. His parents insisted that a relative of Snap would pick him up, because surely he has a guardian while he's staying here. Rudy had nearly bit his tongue. He couldn't convince his parents to leave, and he couldn't show them the urgency of it unless he lied to them or said something that was suspicious.

And now Penny was gone. He didn't know the details yet, but as soon as he heard, he was desperate to do something to save her. He had tried to leave to go find her, but his parents stopped him. They didn't want him rushing off into danger, and they forbade him from leaving the house. Rudy felt a wave of emotion well up inside of him as the impact of losing two friends in a short time struck him. He started to shed a few tears.

But despite his despair, he did come up with a plan. He kept his gaze on the television, eager to listen to the description of the kidnappers. If he recognized them, and knew where they lived, he could use ChalkZone to go find them. Still a risk if his parents went up into his bedroom, but he knew it was a necessary risk. What if Penny was in life-threatening danger?

Soon, Mrs. Sanchez had worked up the will to respond. As she spoke, there was a clear crack to her throat, causing Rudy to bit his lip. Poor Mrs. Sanchez... He listened, hoping that she would reveal something that'll allow him to help.

"There were two of them. A man and a woman. The man was short with black hair and a large nose, oh and a black suit. The woman...I'm pretty sure I've seen her on the news a few times... She was wearing a green business suit and has curly red hair. She appeared to be the leader of the two. She was holding some kind of big bag around her shoulder and.."

"Do you know what was in the bag, ma'am?"

"I don't know, I... what the fuck does that have to do with anything anyway?! My baby has been kidnapped by those cretins! They hauled her off into their car and they sped off. They're probably miles away by now! Why don't you spend your time trying to find her, you..."

The reporter cringed away as the angered woman loomed over him. He smiled nervously, holding up a hand defensively. "Whoa there...I didn't mean to..."

Mrs. Sanchez continued to glare at him for a few seconds. Then her eyes widened when she realized what she had been dong. She turned her head away in shame, sighing softly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I'm just.."

Rudy hardly paid attention to anything else Mrs. Sanchez said. His eyes were wide in realization, his mouth dropping open. His mind swirled with thoughts as he realized just what had happened at the hospital. He couldn't believe it. It..it couldn't have happened like that...could it...?

But then..who else could have done it? The descriptions... They matched them so perfectly. And they had the motivations to do this. They would have had reason to go after Penny. They had all the inspiration they could ever want. But if these two were involved... Rudy felt a sense of dread rising up in his stomach. Just how far were they willing to go? Just what were they willing to do to get what they wanted? They already resorted to kidnapping. What would stop them from doing worse...?

These two crooks... Vinnie Raton and Terry Bouffant... He felt a cold shiver in his spine as he realized that if those two were the ones who kidnapped Penny, then they would have taken Snap as well. And he knew exactly why they would have taken him. They wanted information about ChalkZone. They wanted a way in. And they were going to force him and Penny to help them out.

The realization of his friends being used like this boiled Rudy's blood. How dare those creepazoids use his friends this way... How dare they take Snap away from the hospital, delaying the help he so desperately needed... How dare they take Penny with them like she was their property...

Rudy turned his attention to his parents. They both looked equally worried. They were listening to Mrs. Sanchez' words. They had been a bit disturbed by the temper she displayed momentarily, but they had an understanding expression. The woman had every right to be angry. Her daughter had been kidnapped and the reporter was asking some unrelated question that would do little to help them find Penny, or Snap for that matter. Rudy wanted to say something, but he held his tongue when his dad looked over towards him.

"Rudy...why don't you go up to your room?" Mr. Tabootie said.

Rudy stared at his dad in confusion. "Huh? Why?"

"Just..please, do it." Mr. Tabootie said, raising up his hand. "Go into your room and don't come out until I say so. Just..trust me."

Mrs. Tabootie looked at her husband in confusion. "Joe..." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't you think that's a little..."

Mr. Tabootie jerked away, causing his wife to pull her arm back. "I know what I'm doing, Millie." He stared at his wife, who just continued on giving him a puzzled look. "This is...for the best." He turned his attention back to Rudy. He narrowed his eyes slightly. "Now go to your room. Now."

A part of Rudy was still confused. He had never heard his father speak to him like that before. He had never had his dad send him up to his room unless he did something wrong. It confused and startled Rudy. For a brief moment, he wondered just what had triggered this change. It was so strange. His dad had never done this before...

..then again, he and Penny hadn't been kidnapped before.

Suddenly, Rudy widened his eyes in realization. Now his dad's behavior was starting to make sense. He was worried that he might be kidnapped next. Because of his connection to Penny as a friend, his dad must realize that there was a good chance he might be targeted next. His dad must realize it was a long shot, but he was still willing to take this step anyway to ensure his safety. Slowly, he gave his dad a small, understanding smile.

Not wanting to keep his dad waiting, and knowing this could be his one chance, Rudy turned around and walked away. He headed towards the stairs and began to climb up them. He soon reached the top and headed towards his room. As he headed towards his room, he began to think of what his course of action would be.

He realized that he didn't have much of a plan. Yeah he knew who the kidnappers were, but how was he going to know where they went? Unless they had a chalkboard in their car that had some kind of writing on it, he was stumped. He could feel his stomach fill up with bile, his walking slowing down, as he realized he was back to square one again. He couldn't waste all that time in ChalkZone if he didn't know what he was doing. He needed to do...something. But what?

Then, suddenly, a thought crossed his mind. He recalled some time ago, a zoner named Boorat had tried to steal the magic chalk. He hadn't thought much of the incident since then, but now he had to wonder... Just how had sent him to find the magic chalk? Snap said that he had gone into the real world to try to bring it to his creators. But the only ones who would have known something like that and be able to send a minion would have been...

Terry and Vinnie... Of course... Why didn't he think of it before? Those two...they were Boorat's creators. If they were the ones who had drawn Boorat...

Then maybe Boorat could lead him straight to them. His eyes narrowed in determination. It was a long shot, but it was the only lead he had to go on right now. He knew what he had to do: he had to get into ChalkZone and find Boorat.

Rudy rushed into his room and shut the door behind him. He ran towards his chalkboard and pulled out his magic chalk. He quickly drew a portal. As soon as it opened up, Rudy jumped through it. He landed on the soft grass below. He immediately made a dash in the direction where he knew Boorat would be.

The prison.

sss

Snap let out a grunt as he was shoved against the chair. Terry removed his binds, having no fear that he would escape. How could the little runt get away from her? It was clear that he was weak, and she kept the doors to her van locked. She had taken the precaution of making sure any small crack was sealed up. Yes, the brat wasn't going to escape her this time.

Terry gritted her teeth as Snap weakly struggled against her. She pushed him harder against the chair, bringing out some old but strong rope to secure him. She managed to get rope around his waist, tying it tightly, pressing his small, shivering body against the chair. This kept him in place, allowing her to work on his legs next. She grabbed his left and secured it, wrapping rope around it a few times. As soon as she was done, she turned to the other leg. The zoner attempted to kick her in self defense, but she caught his leg and pressed it firmly against the chair. Soon that leg was taken care of.

Now for his arms. She grabbed his right one first. She knew that his other arm was too injured to do anything. Perhaps it wasn't necessary for her to rip off the bandages... Oh well. Probably best to secure the other arm after this anyway. She circled rope up and down his right arm and tied it as hard as she could. She took a step back, making sure that his arm and two legs were secured. As soon as she was certain, she looked at his left arm.

Terry wondered for a moment if she should feel guilty about this. She had just kidnapped what others would see as a child. She knew better, but something still felt a bit...wrong about this. Would it be right to tie down his left arm, even though it was clearly in bad shape? What could Snap do with it anyway?

Terry shook those thoughts out of her head. She reminded herself that he was just a zoner, a chalk creature. He was not a kid; he only looked like one. She couldn't underestimate him. She couldn't allow him a chance to get away. She was not going to lose this shot at getting into ChalkZone. Mentally resolving her hesitation, she continued on. She reached over and grabbed Snap's left arm tightly.

The zoner's eyes widened and he let out a yelp. He attempted to pull his arm back, but unlike with his right, he was more hesitant with this. Probably because of the gaping wound, Terry thought. All the more reason to take advantage of this. She slammed the arm against the chair, making Snap cry out in pain. She kept the arm firmly placed as she began to secure it. The tight rope looped around his arm, and soon it even went over the wound itself.

The pressure on Snap's wound caused the zoner to scream in pain, his eyes bulging and watery. He struggled harder, trying to use whatever strength he had to get free. Terry ignored his cries of agony as she continued securiing his left arm. Suddenly, out of desperation, Snap did something that Terry didn't expect.

He bit her.

Terry let out a painful shout, her eyes widening and body stiffening for a second. She looked down towards Snap, narrowing her eyes at him. Snap had leaned forward and bit down on her arm, pressing his teeth against the skin. Low whimpers emitted from his mouth. Terry growled at him, realizing she had made a mistake in removing his muzzle so soon.

She attempted to move her arm away from the zoner, trying to dislodge it from his mouth. Snap bit down even harder and Terry winced, feeling the teeth push against her flesh. She contemplated tightening the rope on his arm to make him scream, but decided against it, realizing such an act might make him bite even harder. She needed another way to make him let go. She tried pulling again, but Snap was so terrified that he refused to let go of her. Pain wracked through her arm, which only served to anger her more. This filthy little...

Unable to take it anymore, Terry took action, not bothering to come up with a well though out plan. She just wanted to make him stop biting her. She grabbed his face and pulled it back as hard as she could. "Let go of me!" She managed to rip Snap's head away from her arm, but at an unexpected cost.

Terry was unable to hold back her scream of pain as Snap's teeth tore through her skin. She released the zoner right away and took a few steps back, her body shaking in pain. She felt a few tears stroll down her cheeks as she looked down at her arm, examining it carefully. She was horrified to see that the zoner had managed to tear a small part of flesh from her. It wasn't a big bite, but blood now dripped down her arm. Terry stared at her arm in horror before shifting a hateful glance at Snap. The zoner cringed, gritting his teeth in fear as if he realized what he had just. But it was too late now.

Then suddenly, Terry smiled. A thought crossed her mind. As she stared at Snap, who was unnerved by this sudden change in demeanor, Terry realized something. She could use this bite to her advantage. She could use it to sway people to her side, and be behind her when it came time to go into ChalkZone. After all, people are going to want wild animals taken care of, right? They'd want them...to be tamed or caged.

And zoners were a different species altogether. They weren't human. And anything that's not a human, anything that was not domesticated by a human...was a feral animal.

"I sure hope you don't try to bite me again, Snap." Terry said in a sickenly calm voice. She didn't bother tightening the ropes more. They were good as they were. She folded her arms behind her back. "Wouldn't want the dogcatchers seeing it and try to take you to the pound." She circled around him. She noted the look of confusion and fear in his eyes. She smiled at this and said, "If you don't know the penalty of a dog bite, it's death."

"What...what does..." Snap managed to speak. His voice was shaky and dry. "...have to do with... m-m...me...? I'm...not...a..."

"You're still an animal." Terry said.

"I'm not..." Snap started to say.

Terry cut him off, raising her hand. "You're not a human, and you aren't a plant. So therefore..." She came around from behind him, going over to his other side. "You're an animal. I could use this bite as proof as you being too wild and unpredictable. If we're going to make the ChalkZone theme park, we can't have any unruly animals getting in our way." She placed a hand on Snap's shoulders. The zoner flinched and looked away. "I trust that you won't attempt to do that again...am I right?"

Snap looked up at her fearfully. He gave a shudder and he looked away again, turning his gaze downward. He soon submitted to her. "...yes..."

Terry grinned. "Good little zoner. So long as you behave, this won't have to be so difficult." She paused for a moment, realizing something. "I will speak to you later. I meed to check on my other guest."

Snap's eyes widened. "P-Penny...?"

Terry ignored the zoner and headed off to the back part of the van. There wasn't that much space, so it didn't take her long to reach where Vinnie and Penny were. The short man was pressed up against the back door, down on his knee. His hand was on Penny's head and he was stroking it back and forth. To anyone who didn't know any better, it looked almost like a sign of affection. But Terry knew better.

Terry narrowed her eyes. She hoped that Vinnie would be able to give her some good news. If something went wrong with this, then they were going to be in big trouble. It was his idea to bring the little brat along. Perhaps she should have listened to her instinct and just leave her unconscious body at the hospital. She hoped that she would not regret agreeing with Vinnie to kidnap her. If things are screwed up because of that idiot's plan, then next time, she's just going to go this alone. Screw his amusement park. It's not work that much trouble.

"How is she?" Terry asked, her voice devoid of any genuine concern for the girl. She glanced coldly at Penny, hoping that Vinnie would give her the right answer.

Vinnie moved his hand away and looked up at his partner. "She's fine. I didn't hit her that hard."

"Good." Terry said, her voice icy cold. "If she had gotten a concussion from what you did, well..let's just say it would have complicated things."

"Hey, you wanted me to knock her out." Vinnie raised his hands in the air, shrugging dismissively. "And I gave you your wish. No need to complain. We got away didn't we?"

Terry scowled at this. "And now we have the police on our tail. We were lucky to get away at all. If you hadn't botched things up, we would have..."

"Hey, sister! Don't pin this whole rap on me! You had as much to do with this as I did! And if I recall correctly, it was you who initiated this whole scheme. So if it blows up in our faces, it's going to be your fault!"

Terry and Vinnie growled at one another, their glares piercing the other's. The two of them remained this way, glaring at each other like it was some kind of contest. Terry could feel her blood start to boil. A part of her wondered why she kept this idiot around anyway. She could do all this on her own. Maybe she should have left alone. She would have gotten Snap out quietly.

Soon her expression softened up. There was no reason to get so angry with Vinnie. It just wasn't worth it. And besides, she still had some kind of use for him. It was nice having him around as he was the only person she could speak to who treated her seriously. And ultimately, he was correct. She was the one who came up with this plan. It was as much her fault they were nearly caught as it was almost his. She had to remind herself that they did get away and the police didn't know where they were. Instead of moping around, they both had something more productive to do.

And she was going to start being productive before the police somehow find them.

"Hmmph..." Terry glanced down at Penny. Pretending that her little argument with Vinnie never happened, she said, "I hope the little brat wakes up soon." She straightened her head up. "She may be useful to pry out some information."

Vinnie said, "What if she doesn't cooperate?"

Terry furrowed her eyes a little more. "I'm sure we can get her to..talk."

Vinnie raised a fist in the air. "Shall I 'motivate her' when the time comes?"

Terry shot him a soft glare. Vinnie lowered his fist and took a step back, not wanting to start another argument. Terry didn't press the matter further. She hoped the idiot didn't try to do anything to hurt Penny seriously. The punching and the slamming was risky enough. She couldn't imagine the lawsuits if they permanently damaged the girl or even killed her. They had a human child hostage now. She knew they were going to have to tread lightly. One wrong move and it was game over for them.

There wasn't as much concern revolving around the zoner. They could do whatever they wanted to him. No one was going to care. He was feral, and worse, he was made of chalk, from another world. People aren't going to be bent over backward if he was hurt. But even then, Terry wanted to show some restraint. They had to be careful not to kill the zoner, at least not before they got the information they want out of him. Penny certainly wasn't going to be very cooperative if her friend died because of their actions. Terry knew she had to be smart about this. Good thing she made herself the leader. Vinnie would have messed things up by now.

Terry shook her head. "We'll find a way to motivate her to talk, and it's not going to involve fists. You had your fun with that."

Vinnie gave a small nod. "Yeah I guess you're right. Punching the little tyke wasn't exactly what I thought I was going to be doing to day anyway." He rubbe the back of his head. He made a small flinch, as if imagining the pain for himself. He turned his attention to where Snap was tied up. "So should we start talking to him?"

Terry paused for a moment, tapping her finger against her chin. She shrugged her shoulders. "Sure, why not? I was going to wait until Penny woke up, but I see no harm in asking that runt some questions now." She paused and looked down at the unconscious form of Penny. "Tie her up first. We don't want her trying to escape."

Vinnie nodded his head. He pulled out rope and proceeded to tie up Penny. As he did that, Terry walked back over to Snap. The shivering zoner had long stopped struggling, and just sat there in the chair helplessly. He noticed Terry walking over and he let out a small whine. His eyes looked at her, shining with a silent plea for her to free him and let him go. She ignored it completely as she stood in front of him, only about a foot away.

She glared intently into his large, white eyes. "Listen here... We are going to ask you some questions about ChalkZone. You, and your friend here, are going to help us gain access to that world. I suggest you cooperate."

Snap choked out, "...wh-what if...we don't..."

Terry gave a bitter smile. "I'll think of something, but trust me, you won't like it." Snap widened his eyes at that. "As soon as Vinnie gets over here, we'll get started. And Snap..?" The zoner looked up at her, afraid to look away. "Do please be truthful." She placed her hand on his cheek lightly. "I'd hate to think of what would happen if you lied..."

Snap gulped and said nothing, staring at her in fear.

sss

Rudy felt so strange about this. Usually, he never visited the jail. Actually, now that he thought about it, he never visited the jail except to drop off any criminals he had and his friends caught. He recalled that they had wheeled Boorat into this prison after Snap managed to stop him and freeze him. He had never been on the interior of this place, and he didn't really know what to expect inside.

But it wasn't that, that made him nervous or uncomfortable. It had to do with something else. Something that he could not shake out of his mind no matter how hard he tried. He had this on his mind the whole time as he walked over, and the closer he got, the worse he felt about it.

Rudy had always been a good kid. Always helpful. Always looking out for the zoners. Always doing what he could to aid them in their time of need. But one thing he hated to do was do anything against the unwritten law here. He didn't like going against the zoners in any shape or form. He hated the idea of breaking the law, doing questionable things in stealth. Even if he had a good reason for it, it always left a bad taste in his mouth.

And today was no different. He was going to do something he never thought he'd do. Something that went against his nature.

He was going to sneak into the jail and free Boorat.

It was not something he saw himself doing a few days ago. Boorat had caused the zoners so much trouble. But he was the one zoner that might be able to help him find his friends. This all rested on a hunch. He had the thought that Terry and Vinnie may have went to a particular location when they drew Boorat. They may have went there again. If they did, then Boorat could take him there. Once he would arrive at the location, he could then start to figure out exactly how he was going to free his friends, as simply jumping into the room wasn't going to help.

But to get Boorat out, he would first have to sneak into the jail. This wasn't going to be an easy task. Not because it would be hard. True, even with the magic chalk, there would be a bit of bumps in the road. No, what concerned him, instead, was the morality portion of it. Could he really break into this jail to free one of the most notorious criminals in ChalkZone history? Not like Boorat really cares about other zoners, and he was a large zoner. What's to stop him from just running off to find more magic chalk?

Rudy knew he was taking a huge risk. Boorat could agree to take him to his creators, but he might still pull a fast one and steal his chalk when he wasn't looking and give it to Terry and Vinnie. Yet despite the risk, Rudy knew he had little choice. With little else to go on, only Boorat could lead him on the right track.

With his eyes narrowed deeply, determined, he began to make his way towards the jail.

The jail wasn't far in front of him. It was larger than the one Butch had been sent to during Penny's first visit. It was on an open field, save for a few hills. This would provide good cover for him as he walked around towards the back, where there weren't as many guards. The jail had a silvery edge to it and looked like it was two-stories tall. With the sharp edges and the shine, it looked so...intense.

In the front of the jail, he could see several guards. They were all holding forked weapons, the ends sparkling, indicating they were used for electrocution. Rudy bit his lip. He knew he had to be careful he wanted to avoid getting hit by those. He heard the guards here don't discriminate and attack anyone who gets close, save for those with a special permit.

Rudy shook off his fear and continued to walk around. He kept his distance, his body low. He used the tall grass areas to his advantage, allowing him to sneak closer without getting spotted. He kept his eyes on the jail. He was able to avoid tripping and kept as quiet as a mouse. His eyes were locked on the jail as well as the guards present. He cautiously turned his eyes from side to side as he positioned himself between two large hills. He rested down on one knee, and looked through.

Rudy drew a small telescope and held it in his hands. He placed his eye against the end and looked through. With everything magnitized, he could now see the faces of the guards. They were both humanoid zoners, quite muscular. Even without the weapons, they looked like they could stop just about any criminal from escaping. That presented a problem.

How was he going to get Boorat out without triggering trouble from the guards? Well, Boorat did have that trendy bounching mechanic to him. Maybe that could work? No, that would draw too much attention. What to do...

He had no time to think about that, he had to get inside. With so little time, and his mind racing, wondering what was happening with Penny and Snap, he could only think of one way to get in.

After a few seconds of sketching, Rudy held up a tranquilizer gun. He leveled it up, pointing it straight at one of the guards. He took careful aim and began to pull the trigger. He hesitated for a moment, scolding himself mentally for doing such a thing. He pushed those thoughts aside, reminding himself that Snap's life was on the line, and perhaps Penny's, too. He pulled the trigger and the tranquilizer dart hit its mark.

The guard let out a cry of pain. Rudy felt his heart twist as the zoner swayed back and forth and crumpled to the ground. He lowered his head as the other guard looked his way, and he peaked through the tall grass the best he could. He pulled out his telescope and used it to see what was going on.

"Red? Red! Wake up! What's wrong?!" The guard cried out in a gruff voice. He was holding onto Red in his arms. He shook him a few times, his eyes wide in horror. He examined his comrade's body and found the cause. "A tranquilizer dart...?"

Rudy watched as the guard pulled the dart out of Red's neck. He turned it around a few times, examining it. Rudy could practically see the wheels of the guard turning. The guard's eyes narrowed in contemplation, and then they widened.

"Wait a minute..." The guard whispered. There was a flash of recognition in his voice. "I know this art style anywhere..." The guard's voice was filled with disbelief. He stood up, whipping his head from side to side. "I know you're out there, Ru..."

The guard never got a chance to finish. A dart lodged itself on his neck. He let out a yelp of pain and yanked it out. But by then it was too late. The drug went to work fast and the guard dropped out like a fly. His body collapsed on his comrade's. He twitched a little, as if trying to keep his consciousness. But he quickly lost that battle and he became still as stone, save for his breathing.

Rudy lowered the tranquilizer gun. When the guard was examining the dart, he took that chance to draw a second dart. He couldn't allow him to sound the alarm, and he couldn't let him tell everyone what he had done. Not before he had a chance to get his friends back. Not before he had a chance to explain himself. He knew, after this, he was going to have a lot to answer to. But now was not the time.

Rudy looked left and right to make sure the coast was clear. The other guards didn't seem to hear anything. He walked out slowly, remaining cautious the whole time, knowing that all it was going to take is one mistake.

As soon as he reached the two guards, Rudy bent down. Wanting to remove the evidence before anyone found them, he plucked the second dart out of the second guard and took it and the first dart with him. He drew a small bag and placed the gun and the used darts in there. He slung it over his shoulders and stared at the wall in front of him. He reached forward and touched it. Cold and rocky, and made of bricks. Taking this chance to look left and right again, Rudy lifted up the magic chalk and pressed it against the wall, slowly drawing a small opening. He peered inside.

Much to his luck, a hole in this wall was going to lead him into the janitor's closet. He was somewhat surprised, but then again, they had to keep at least some parts of the jail clean right? He drew a larger hole and stepped inside. After drawing a small light for himself, Rudy recreated the wall behind him, erasing his tracks.

Rudy knew he couldn't just leave the janitor's closet. It was too risky even just opening the door. As soon as a zoner spotted him, they were going to sound the alarm. Great Creator or not, what he was doing was violating the zoner law. They might not have a government like in the real world, but there were things they were stern about, and jail was one of them. Instead, he was going to have to be stealthy again about this. And Rudy had just the thing.

Being quick about it, he whipped up a small mechanical bug with a small camera. It was a simple design, but it would do. He then sketched out a small monitor wrapped around his wrist with simple controls. He pressed a few buttons until he could see what the bug saw. He soon assumed control and began to guide the bug bot through the crack underneath the door, and began to explore the inside of the jail.

It took Rudy a few seconds to get used to not only the controls, but the perspective of the bug bot as well. Everything looked distorted, like it was being pulled through some hole he could not see. Once he got a handle on everything, however, it was smooth sailing, and he operated the bug, moving it forward.

The bug bot was in some kind of stone hallway. No cells, just a few torches to light it. Rudy was surprised. This made it look more like a dungeon than anything. Oh well. He couldn't question its creator's design process. He continued on. So far, he was really lucky to not run into any zoners. But at the same time, it had him a little worried. What if he went too far in the wrong direction? What if he...

He stopped himself when the metal bug came to a two-way intersection. Rudy turned the bug left and right to see if any zoners were coming down. He soon saw a tall shadow. Quickly, he navigated the bug behind a trash can. Moments later, the zoner came into view.

With the angle and stretched perpective, it was hard to tell what the zoner was at first. Rudy soon could tell it was the warden. He didn't appear muscular like the guards outside, but he still looked pretty menacing. He hoped he wouldn't have to deal with him. Rudy looked around, hoping he would have a set of keys on him, but there was nothing. He gritted his teeth in frustration, but he knew he couldn't have expected the warden to be that stupid as to carry the keys with him. He probably had them locked up somewhere. If he could just get a visual...

The warden soon walked by him and headed down the corridor. Rudy had no idea if he was going in the right direction or not, but it wasn't like he had much choice. He raced the bot bug towards him. With a press of the button, the bot bug jumped and clung to the zoner's dark blue uniform. The zoner stopped and looked around. Rudy winced, wondering if he had been figured out. But thankfully, the warden shrugged it off and kept walking.

The warden kept walking down and turned right. He walked down this hallway for a few minutes until he reached a flight of steps on the right side. He walked up them and entered yet another hallway. More torches lined it. Seeing some intermixings of more modern technology, such as overhead lights, Rudy concluded that the torches were more decorative than anything, which gave him a sense of relief. Bad zoner or not, he wasn't sure he would feel comfortable trapping Boorat in some kind of deranged dungeon.

Rudy soon took notice of the change in room design, and it took him seconds to realize the warden had passed through a door opening. The bug bot jumped off and, on Rudy's command, scurried towards a corner of the room, hiding behind a small box. He peered out, turning the bug's camera so he could see the warden approaching another zoner.

The zoner the warden walked up to looked pretty tall and skinny. Not stick figure skinny, but pretty close. The zoner was clearly female. She was located some sort of machine. When Rudy peered closer, he realized that it was a monitor room of some kind. There were multiple screens, and every few seconds, the camera would change. The female zoner was keeping an eye on them, and he imagined she was darting her eyes around so she could be aware of what was happening at all times.

The warden tapped the security zoner on her shoulder. She raised her head up and gave a nod of her head, but did not turn around. That was when the warden spoke.

"How is the progress going with the security system?"

Rudy flinched, jerking his head back. He was glad he designed this thing to be attached, because otherwise he was going to drop it. The warden's voice, through this speaker he had drawn, sounded horrible. Distorted, like it was a bad recording that spent a few years to rot. He smacked the side of his head, and then continued to listen.

"It's going fine." The female zoner's voice was just as bad. "I installed the new cameras, and they are working splendidly."

The warden nodded his head. "And what of the outside cameras?"

Rudy's eyes widened at this. Outside cameras? Would that mean that...?

"Yes. I took care of that first thing. I made sure they were hidden, too." The female zoner beamed with pride. "It was difficult making them invisible, but all it takes is a few tweaks here or there and..."

The warden cut her off. "So the cameras outside are operational then?"

"They have been for at least a day now."

Rudy sucked in a sharp breath.

"Let's test them out. I want to make sure these outdoor cameras work. We almost had a raid the other week when Sylvester attempted to have one of his buddies break him out." The warden's voice was laced in bitterness. "I don't want to have another incident like that happening again. So flip the switch, Vanessa. I want to see those cameras shine."

Rudy felt his heart twist. They were going to figure out something happened with Red and his comrade. He had to act now while he still had the chance. As the warden and security officer checked the monitors, he made a dash towards one part of the room that had looked promising.

Located not far from the monitors was a large table. There was some kind of paper spread out on it. He cursed to himself as he noted he didn't design the metallic bug with wings, so he was forced to climb up what looked like to him a massive leg to get up on the equally large table. He winced as the bug's legs pitter pattered on the table, but it didn't seem to draw the attention of the two zoners.

It was hard to tell what this paper was at first. After backing away and looking at it carefully for a few moments, he soon recognized it as blueprints for the jail. No, not blueprints...an up to date map. Rudy realized that the security officer must have drawn this herself as she was installing the cameras. It did make sense; she needed the visualization to know where she was going to put what camera. Rudy began to examine the map.

He could hear the zoners to his side speaking.

"Incredible... These cameras work better than I thought." Said the warden. "You really do deliver."

"Why don't we check out the south wall?" The security officer said. "I know it's of least concern but..."

"Show me."

His mind racing, Rudy continued looking at the map. He could see where he had started, and he looked at the path that he had taken. He then moved the bug along the map, looking through the different cells. It would seem they keep the prisoners on the upper level. It seemed strange at first, but it made sense. Most zoners weren't stupid enough to jump out of a window, and this would delay their escape long enough for someone to catch them.

Rudy began to look at the different cells. There were four rooms filled with cells. He guessed there was at least a hundred. He bit his lip. It was going to take a long time to find Boorat. So he better start looking now.

"What is this?!"

Rudy stifled a cry as he heard the warden shout. He turned the bug's head a bit for a second. The warden was staring at the monitor, his back turned to him. Judging from the tone of his voice before and the way he was clutching his head, Rudy could tell he had seen the mess. He turned his attention back to the map, frantically looking for Boorat's cell.

"Red and Green are knocked out!" The warden cried.

"I think they're just sleeping, sir, I.." The security officer attempted to calm him down.

"No, they're not!" The warden snaped at her. "I know my boys better than you! They would never do this! Something must have happened!"

The security officer tentatively said, "Well I could check the feedback footage. Maybe that'll tell us something..."

"Do it! I want to know who is responsible for this!"

Rudy worked as fast as he could. He moved the bug along the map, up and down, left and right. He saw names of all sorts of criminals, including a couple he recognized. But he couldn't see anything for Boorat. He wondered if Boorat had been released earlier and.. No, it couldn't be. This was where he sent him, and there was little reason they'd let him go. They would...

Suddenly Rudy noticed something. He paused and turned the bug to the left. He noticed there was a cell off by itself, located not far from the first bunch of cell rows. He didn't know why the cell was by itself, but he didn't have time to think about that. He moved the bug closer to the cell and peered at it. Rudy felt his heart swell when he noticed the name 'Boorat' written on it. He let out a sigh of relief. He found the cell. Now he had to write down the coordinates so he knew where to go.

He drew a notebook and a pencil for himself. He moved the bug back and positioned it the best he was able to so he could begin to sketch out the map. Not in detail. Just enough so he had an idea of where to go. It didn't take him long to make a loose, quick, but workable copy of the map, with a line of the path that would lead him to Boorat's cell. As he put the finishing touches on the map, a loud screech caught his attention.

"Rudy Tabootie?!" At this, Rudy felt his heart clench, horror sifting through his body. He had been figured out. "I don't believe it..." The warden's voice sounded like it was laced in a mixture of disbelief and betrayal.

"What shall I do, Stone?" Vanessa asked.

Stone was uncomfortably quiet for a few moments. Rudy could practically feel the weight of tension from that room. He didn't even dare turn the bug bot around, afraid that doing so might cause something worse to happen. Rudy could feel his heart pounding against his chest. He had the information he wanted, and yet the silence from Stone made it impossible for him to move. It felt like an hour before Stone spoke again.

"Get him..." Stone's voice sifted through his teeth, making it sound strained and forced. "You know where he is... Bring him to me!"

Rudy took in a few quick breaths, doing whatever he could to keep himself from panicking. He had to remain calm. He couldn't afford mistakes. He began to guide the bug out of the room. He didn't get far when suddenly the camera shifted, swerved, and went in a new direction. Rudy was startled, taken aback by this. He stifled a scream as he saw the upclose image of a cornea and iris. The bug was lifted up and away and Rudy found himself looking at the face of Stone.

The warden contorted his face in anger as he stared at the small metal bug. "This is Rudy's..." He looked down. His eyes widened. "And he was looking at the map!"

"But why would he do that?"

Stone turned his head to Vanessa. "Breaking out one of our criminals I'm sure!" He looked back at the map. "I don't know why he's doing this, but I'll soon find out." He looked down at the metal bug, his face twisting into fury. "Do you hear that, Rudy? We're coming for you. If I were you..I'd stay there. Don't make this harder than it has to be."

Rudy's body trembled in fear as Stone crushed the bug, severing his connection. Rudy remained there for a few seconds, his mind numb, unable to process what happened. He soon shook his head, knowing that he couldn't stay here for long. He climbed up to his feet and began to think of what the next course of plan should be. He asked himself an important question: how was he going to get Boorat out now?

sss

Mr. Tabootie was concerned. He hadn't heard a peep from Rudy in a while. He tried to settle himself down. He had to remind himself that he sent Rudy up to his room only about an hour ago. He was probably entertaining himself with some new drawing of his. He knew how much his son loved art.

But something just didn't feel right. And he didn't know why. Rudy often disappeared for hours, going to his secret hiding place. It was not unusual for this to happen, and he always came back. Everything was always fine. So why was he worried this time? Rudy had only been gone and hour and he was already starting to freak out over the silence.

It didn't take him long to realize the answer. It was because of those kidnappers. A part of him realized how absurd it was to think that the kidnappers would go after Rudy when there was little reason for them to do that. But the fact that they took Penny shook him up. What if they would come after Rudy once they find out they were friends? And just what did the kidnappers want? Why were they in the hospital at all? What were they up to? These thoughts and more shrouded his mind, filling him with a strong sense of apprehension.

"I'm going to check on Rudy, dear." Mr. Tabootie spoke up after so much silence.

His wife turned her head towards him. "I'm sure he's fine."

Mr. Tabootie took a moment to reflect how it was usually him who would say Rudy was fine and his wife was worried. It was kind of amusing how the roles were reversed. But he didn't want to dwell on that now. He looked over his shoulder and said, "I know..I just..want to make sure."

Millie gave him a sympathetic look and nodded her head in understanding. She said not another word as Mr. Tabootie got up from the couch and scaled the steps. He soon reached Rudy's room, the door tightly shut like it always was. He stood in front of it and took a deep breath. He raised up his hand, turned it around, and began to knock on it.

"Rudy?" No answer. He knocked a few more times. "It's me, your father. Can I come in?"

After a few seconds of knocking and waiting, there was no reply. No footsteps coming to the door. No voice telling him to wait. Nothing. Mr. Tabootie didn't immediately panic. He merely narrowed his eyes. Rudy was probably too enthralled with his work to notice he had been calling out to him. He tried again, pounding the door.

"Rudy, open up!" Mr. Tabootie demanded. But Rudy still refused to answer. The man felt his heart clench slightly. He tried to shake off the feeling of dread. His son was fine, he told himself. "Rudy, come on..."

When Rudy still didn't answer, the man resolved to do the only thing he could think of. He grabbed the knob and twisted it around. The door opened up with ease, squeaking as it moved towards the wall. The man took a step inside the room.

Mr. Tabootie froze, taking a quick look around the room. He widened his eyes, shaking his head in denial. Rationality tried to calm him, but his raging paranoia brought on by Penny's kidnapping overruled his mind's attempt of logic. It couldn't be... No, this has to be some sort of mistake... But who was he kidding? He couldn't deny the truth that was laid right before him.

Rudy was gone.


	12. Interrogation

"Get away from him!" Penny jerked herself from side to side. She ignored the pain she was causing herself. She ignored the rope rubbing against her skin. "Stay back! I'm warning you!" At the moment, the only thing that mattered to her was keeping her friend safe from these two lunatics. "Stop it!"

In front of her, Penny could see Snap tied down to a chair, a look of pure terror in his eyes. Terry and Vinnie were positioned on either side of him. They hadn't made a move yet to hurt him, but that was of little comfort to her and Snap. The zoner was cringing back as Terry leaned in. She had a look in her eyes that told her that she was willing to harm Snap if he didn't cooperate. Whether or not she'd really do this, Penny wasn't certain. But with those ropes strapped to his injured arm, she couldn't take the risk.

The two adults were ignoring her, much to her anger. She kept struggling, tugging her arms as hard as she could. They were tied securely behind her back. Her legs were also bound together. She kicked them wildly, banging her heel against the hard ground of the van. But no matter what she did, all she could manage to do was knock herself into the ground. She let out a soft groan as she laid there on her side. Her brown eyes shifted upwards so she could glare at her two captives.

Vinnie turned his head, gazing over his shoulder. "Looks like the little brat is finally awake."

Penny snorted. The man knew full well she was awake for longer than that. He just wanted to pretend she just woke up as a way of 'justifying' frightening Snap for a bit longer. She didn't understand why he or Terry would do that, and frankly she didn't care.

Vinnie merely raised an eyebrow at her frown. He turned his head away and looked over at his partner. "Shall we bring her over for the interrogation?"

Terry's eyes remained on Snap, narrowed into slits. The zoner tried to cringe back further, his back pressing firmly against the chair. She gritted her teeth and thought for a few moments. She then shook her head. "Not yet. I want to see if I can try a little harder and get information out of this chalk boy."

Penny struggled harder to get free. "Get away from my friend!"

Her cry didn't exactly fall on deaf ears. But it got the opposite result that she wanted. She could see Terry glaring in her direction. Not in disgust, but more annoyance than anything. She turned to Vinnie and made a motion with her hand. Vinnie acted right away.

Vinnie walked over to Penny. He knelt down beside her. Penny attempted to jerk away from him, but it was no use. The man grabbed onto her and pulled her into his arms. She struggled, jerking her body left and right. Vinnie placed one arm around her stomach, securing her against his body. She was about to say something to him but his hand clamped tightly over his mouth. Penny tried to free her head, but Vinnie just held on even tighter. Out of desperation, Penny attempted to work her mouth in a way so she could bite him, but that was when Terry spoke.

"Don't try to bite my partner, Penny. It could result in something pretty bad for your friend." Terry said. Her threat had been spoken in a chillingly calm voice. Penny looked up at her in horror, and she lowered her head slightly. "Good." Terry gave a small smile at Penny's submission. "Now, hopefully the rest of this will be smooth sailing..."

Penny felt a pang in her heart as she watched what was going on. She was helpless to do anything to stop Terry from continuing to torment her friend for information. She may not have done anything to hurt him yet, but that could easily change. She wanted to struggle, to get free and help him. Yet the prospect of something bad happening to Snap if she attempted froze her where she was. Reluctantly, she relaxed in Vinnie's arms and watched with wide eyes as Terry began to pace around Snap.

"I know you have been a little..reluctant to answer my questions, Snap. Though I have to say, that was a smart move. You knew things could end up worse for you if you tried to lie, and I'm not so easily fooled." Penny tried her best to stifle a chuckle, remembering how Terry had once been so clueless about ChalkZone. But the humor of that went away as the woman continued to speak. "So you choose to remain silent... Well, I hate to say it, but now that Penny is fully awake, you can't hide behind your quiet curtain anymore. So I suggest you begin to actually answer my questions."

Snap opened his mouth, but quickly shut it. His eyes turned so they were facing the ground. He moved his head away, not wanting to look Terry in the eyes. Penny could tell the zoner looked exhausted, not just by what was happening, but it was from the illness, too. At this thought, she realized just how pale he looked, even for Snap's already white complexion. He opened his mouth again and he let out a painful sneeze.

This did not trigger any concern from Vinnie and Terry, but it tugged at Penny's heart strings. Her pupils dilated slightly as she realized, well and truly, just how sick her friend was. She hadn't gotten a good look at her friend until about now. Here she was now, able to see her friend clearly, the look in his eyes, his expression... He was clearly suffering. And with the fear added on... It was only going to complicate his condition further.

She had to get him out of here, and fast. But how? She couldn't try to struggle free, not unless she wanted to risk Snap getting hurt. Even if it was a bluff..how could she take the risk? She could feel her muscles and mind burning with anger and frustration that she couldn't help her sick friend get help. Snap turned his head and stared at her almost pleadingly, and it broke her heart. She wished she could do something to show him it was going to be okay. But she was at a loss of what to do.

Terry could clearly see that Snap was ill, but to Penny's anger, she was ignoring it. She continued to circle the zoner like a hawk. She kept her eyes on him, a scowl on her face as she studied him like he was a piece of meat. "Now come on, Snap. Tell me what I want..." Vinnie clearing his throat made her alter her statement. "Tell us what we want to know. Then we will let you go."

Snap's body trembled in fear. He refused to look at her. He closed his eyes and let out a small whimper. Terry glared at this. She moved around to his friend. She pressed her fingers underneath his chin and lifted it up, forcing the zoner to look at her in the eyes.

"I will not tolerate you being quiet anymore, Snap. I suggest you start answering my question. If you don't..." Terry lifted her head and turned her attention towards Vinnie. She nodded her head slowly and deliberately. As Vinnie grabbed the underneath of Penny's chin, Terry looked back to Snap. "Well I hope Penny can still walk around when her neck reaches beyond its limitations, if you catch my drift."

Snap pulled his head back and stared at Terry in horror. His eyes had a very strong 'are you kidding?' look. But Terry just narrowed her eyes further, giving him a stern, cold look. Snap looked over at Penny for a few seconds, his mouth open, his breaths quickening. He looked back at Terry and he finally spoke. "Y-Y...You wouldn't..."

"If you want to try me, you're more than welcome." Terry said in a cold voice. She tilted her head to the side. "Would you like to?" She raised up her finger and snapped it.

At this, Penny's eyes bulged as she felt the man start to twist her neck. She let out a muffled cry of pain and fear as the men pulled her head backwards, up and away from her shoulders. She could feel the bones in her neck start to ache slightly. Vinnie's legs crossed across her body, keeping it secure as he yanked her head back.

Snap trembled at this. "Please...stop..."

"Are you ready to speak?" Terry glared down at him, her arms folded against her chest.

Snap looked at Penny, his eyes giving her a silent apology. It was clear there was only one thing he felt he could do. He lowered his head in submission and addressed Terry. "Yes... Just d-don't hurt her any...anymore."

"Done." Terry snapped her fingers again. At this, Vinnie loosened his grip on Penny, letting her head return to its normal orientation. "Now then, Snap... Tell me where I...er, we can find magic chalk."

As the interrogation resumed, Penny could only watch. She winced as the dull pain that still echoed in her neck vertabrae. Vinnie hadn't pulled her neck that far, but it was enough to cause pain. That, however, wasn't of her greatest concern. Her attention was fully on Snap. He was being forced to tell the truth. Even if Terry was bluffing and she could be decieved, it was clear Snap's condition complicated things. With that fever of his, Snap was not going to be able to think clearly and he was likely unable to think of any good lies. That was probably why Terry targeted him now. He was in a weak state, prime to be manipulated. It was sickening...

Penny wasn't afraid of having her neck broken. She knew it was a bluff. Terry's tone of voice and the expression she could see, as well as Vinnie's mannerisms during the whole thing, suggested that these two were merely bluffing with this. They knew they couldn't kill a child without getting caught. They would be careful not to hurt her too badly.

But Snap was a different story. They had no qualms about hurting him. They could easily reverse the roles and threaten to kill him if she didn't speak. Yet it was Snap they were interrogating due to his fever, due to the inability of forming coherent lies. They were taking advantage of his friendship with her, and forged an elaborate lie almost on the fly to get him to speak. No doubt Vinnie would twist her neck close to its limitation if that's what it would take to make Snap speak.

A part of Penny had to wonder if this was all payback. Maybe not so much for Vinnie, but Terry would have a reason to be upset with him. He did help ruin her in front of all those people. Penny wouldn't be surprised if the woman held a grudge and was now paying Snap back. She seemed like she would be wicked enough to do something like that.

"What...W-What are you going to..d-do... with it..?" Snap spoke. Penny's heart twisted as she heard just how weak her friend sounded. "A-After...you get the...chalk I mean... What is your p-plan?"

Terry snorted. "It's not really any of your business, zoner."

"Besides, you already know what we want! A chalk world theme park!" Vinnie barked.

Terry shot him a glare. "That's your dream, numb skull!" She raised her head up, the top of her hands against her hips. "I have a much bigger ambition for that place. But don't worry." She gave a smile to Vinnie. "I'll let you keep your little amusement park. It seems like a worthwhile investment."

Vinnie glared at her, looking somewhat offended. But he nodded his head, not attempting to argue. Clearly satisfied by Vinnie's wordless response, Terry turned and glared down at the zoner.

"As for you, zoner..." Terry took a small step closer to Snap. The zoner turned his head to the side. "There is no place for you to know what I'm going to do with your home. But you can rest easy knowing that you will be providing security for them. Help me, and maybe I'll help them."

Penny looked at Terry in horror at this. There was a clear, strong threat in that simple message of hers. And Snap caught it, too. The zoner glanced at Penny, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief. Penny stared into his eyes, feeling her heart start racing. A part of her couldn't believe that Terry was hinting she'd go that far. Then again, should she be surprised?

Terry was looking at Snap, waiting for an answer. She had a satisfied smirk on her face. It was clear she believed she had won this round, and she was, unfortunately, right. Penny realized that, with the threat of her neck being broken, and some unspeakable horror happening to the other zoners, Snap had no choice but relent completely. Penny looked sympathetically as Snap looked at her again, silently begging for her forgiveness.

Turning his attention back to Terry, Snap said, "R-Rudy...has some."

"We know that, you little runt!" Vinnie growled at him. "We want to know where he finds magic chalk, got it?"

Terry cut him off before he could continue. "We already deduced Rudy Tabootie has magic chalk. But we already tried taking it from him before and it failed." Penny looked at her in confusion. What was she talking about? "So instead, we think it's best if we go to the source. Tell me, Snap..." She leaned in closer, putting her face near his. "Where does Rudy find the magic chalk? What's his secret?"

Snap was quiet for a couple seconds. Vinnie pulling on Penny's neck again motivated him to quickly answer. "He gets it from ChalkZone!"

This made Terry freeze. A confused look plastered on her face. "How would he get into ChalkZone if what he needs is in ChalkZone?" It took only a second for her to answer her own question. "So he keeps a piece with him, does he?"

Snap nodded his head. "Y-Yeah..."

Penny realized what Snap was doing. Even in his sickness, he was trying to come up with a way to minimize the damage. As long as Terry and Vinnie don't know about the Chalk Mine, they wouldn't be able to obtain as much power. She did her best not to show any relief in her eyes, lest their two captors become suspicious.

"I guess that means we will be taking a trip to the kid's house?" Vinnie looked up to his partner expectantly.

"Not yet." Terry's answer came abruptly. She continued to stare at Snap, her eyes remaining narrowed. "I'm not such a fool taht I would just go off on that. You didn't answer my question, Snap."

At this, Penny's heart tightened. Had Terry seen through Snap's trick?

Terry placed her hand on Snap's shoulder. The zoner shivered at her touch. "You didn't tell me exactly how Rudy can have magic chalk if he needs to be in ChalkZone for it. You said he has a piece, but obviously he gets that piece from ChalkZone. So, little guy..." She squeezed his shoulder. "Where does he find it?"

Penny felt her heart start beating faster. Of course Terry would be smart enough to press the matter further. Of course she wouldn't be satisfied with Snap's initial answer. She looked over at Snap. She could see the panic and terror in his eyes. He clearly knew there was no way out of this.

"I-I..." Snap's voice trailed off.

Terry smirked darkly. "I'm waiting, Snap."

sss

Boorat grumbled to himself, pacing back and forth in his lonely cell. His mind filled with bitter thoughts. The same ones he always had ever since he was brought to this wretched place. He had tried to clear his mind and tried to think of other things. But he found it impossible. How could he think of anything else when he was created with one simple task?

Simple..? Bah, what a lie that was. He thought it would be easy. His creator, no correction, creators, gave him what he thought would be a simple job. Get the magic chalk from Rudy Tabootie. The kid was only ten years old, a small fry. All he had to do was charge to him quickly enough and grab it before he had a chance to react. He was certainly much faster than the boy. There was no way he could have drawn anything in time to stop him. Heck, he had even managed to take the chalk from him when Snap inadvertantly distracted Rudy for him.

Snap...

That name filled Boorat's blood with burning heat. He would have succeeded in his plan if it weren't for that runt. His creators had told him to ignore Snap and Penny. He had to wonder if they were crazy. He didn't have much to say on Penny, but Snap turned out to be a bigger thorn in his side than Rudy. He had followed him into the real world and continuously acted like glue to him. Boorat had a feeling his creators were waiting for him somewhere, but he hadn't the chance to reach them. He had failed them.

No, Snap forced him to fail. That stupid fixative or whatever the hell it was called.. That froze his body. It was pretty painful. His muscles were so sore and stiff, yet he couldn't move to relieve them. Even the act of breathing was hard without the ability to move. He couldn't even cry out in distress or call for help. He wasn't sure if Snap actually intended to harm him or not, but that mattered little to him. The point was Snap was the reason he had failed. If he ever saw him again, he would...

Oh what was the use? He could lament all he wanted to about Snap. It wasn't going to change a blasted thing. It was easy to punch him, but would it accomplish anything? No, it wouldn't. It would just delay his mission even further. He didn't know if his creators still had a need for him, but he was going to stick to what he was created for. Steal the chalk and take it to his creators. If Snap crossed his path again, he would see to it that the little runt isn't able to follow him anymore. Breaking his leg would do nicely.

Boorat laid down on the ground. He crossed his arms and rested his chin on them. His red eyes looked around his cell room. He had gotten used to these confines, but even now, it felt so small. He had been considered too dangerous for the other inmates to be around, so he was given his own cell. On the one hand, he got all the privacy he wanted. But on the other hand, he couldn't use his tail coil to get out of here. Not enough room. The ceiling was too low.

He recalled when he first came to this jail. Before he unfroze, the other inmates had fun with him. They would dress him up, throw hoops on him, some more unspeakable acts... He shuddered, pushing the thoughts away. At least he didn't have to worry about that anymore. But it did give him more reason to hate Snap, and more reason to make sure that, after he got out of here, he didn't get caught again. He knew one thing for certain: he was not going back into the real world without some alterations. And he knew just what he was going to do.

Taking a hostage would be a great way to make sure he didn't get sprayed again. If Snap is as much of a goodie goodie as he seemed to be, then he, and even Rudy and Penny, wouldn't dare try to stop him if a civilian were threatened. But just who to pick? If he picked someone they knew, then that would increase the impact, increase just how much control he'd have over them.

Maybe the Great Creator himself? Yeah, why not? If he took Rudy with him, he could keep his friends at bay and he could force Rudy to draw a portal for him to use. Then he could finally fulfill his destiny and take the magic chalk to his creators.

But any chance of doing that was a long way off. He still had a long time to serve in jail. His harrassment of zoners really caught up with him. He couldn't remember how many zoners he tossed around, and he didn't really care. He would just make sure that he didn't hurt other zoners this time. At least, not as many. He would keep his focus on the one zoner, as well as that zoner's pals, who deserved his attention the most.

Snap, and his friends, Penny and Rudy.

Suddenly, Boorat's thoughts were interrupted when he heard loud shouts and screaming in the hallway. He heard what sounded like gunfire, but something about it was different. Was that sparkling he heard? Electricity? Why were the guards using their electrical guns? Did a prisoner get loose?

The pounding of footsteps fast approached. The large rat looked around, pushing his nose as far through the bars as he could. He started to sniff quickly, taking in the scent of the air, trying to see if he could figure out just who was stirring up trouble here. He couldn't detect anything specific. Just a faint scent that seemed vaguely familiar, but it wasn't Snap's. That much he could determine.

Some shadows started to form on the wall. There were at least three. One looked a lot smaller and its movements more erratic, as if it were terrified. The other two appeared to be holding weapons. As they were fired again, he could hear a much louder sparkling sound, confirming his initial hunch that they were using the electrical weapons. He looked at the smaller shadow, narrowing his eyes in dissatisfaction. The smaller figure didn't seem to be trying to fight back. What were the guards so spooked up about? Even their weakest unit could take this guy out.

That was when the figure stopped and turned around. They raised an arm up and he could see something small appearing to stick in their hand. His eyes bulged open in recognition.

It was a piece of magic chalk...

Boorat was so shocked by this revelation that he didn't pay attention to what the figure did with the chalk. In a matter of seconds, the two guards stopped giving chase. He didn't know how, and he was hardly aware of what transpired. He was in a state of shock, unwilling to believe that the magic chalk was coming to him so easily. Maybe it was one of his creators coming to break him out?

This, however, turned out to not be the case. The figure made himself known as he quickly approached his cell. Boorat was again taken by surprise.

"Tabootie?!" Boorat cried. He stared at Rudy for a few seconds, watching as he panted, seeing the terrified look in his eyes. Was this the real deal? Or was this some kind of joke? Why was Rudy here, of all places? "What's going on here?!" What Rudy said next nearly made the large rat fall over.

"Free you."

Boorat stared blankly at the kid for a few seconds. He blinked a few times, wondering if he heard right. "You...what?"

"I need your help. So I'm getting you out of here."

"...you're kidding, right?"

"No I'm not. I need a favor done and you're the only one who can do that."

Boorat couldn't believe it. Rudy came all the way over here to free him? On some delusion that he would actually help him? Boorat wanted to laugh in the boy's face and let him get caught. The grey rat suspected that Rudy must have caused quite a stir if he had some guards chasing him. He could just leave the boy to his fate and watch in amusement as the Great Creator squirmed.

He stopped himself before he made his move. Perhaps he could get something out of this. He wasn't sure what kind of favor Rudy was asking for, but maybe he could work it into his plan. He could just play along for now and agree to help. As long as Rudy thought he was going to help, he would have his freedom, and the opportunity to steal the magic chalk. Heh, the boy must be desperate if he was seeking help from him. Though perhaps the boy was wise to him and had something figured out... But sure, he'll play along with his little game.

Boorat gave a low chuckle. "Sure, kid. I'll help you..."

Rudy stared at Boorat with a disbelieving expression. Boorat thought he screwed things up for himself. That was when Rudy tensed up as a loud shout echoed through the chamber.

"He went this way!" A distant guard cried.

Rudy turned his head, looking behind him with a look of fear. He turned his attention back to Boorat. He appeared to be debating with himself whether or not he should do this. But it was clear the boy had little time for this and raised his magic chalk. Boorat did his best to hide his evil smile as the boy began to draw an opening in his jail cell. Soon, he would have another chance at victory.

sss

Mrs. Tabootie looked at her husband in horror. She kept her eyes locked on him, hoping that she would see some tinge of doubt, some hint of a lie, anything to show her what he said wasn't true. But the longer she stared at him, the more he kept that solemn, worried expression. Mrs. Tabootie couldn't deny it any longer. Joe wasn't lying to her. Rudy was really gone.

The realization of this struck her like a rock falling from the sky. Rudy must have snuck out the window. There were smudge marks on his chalkboard that weren't there before, and her husband thought that Rudy had tried to distract himself with some art, but failed to do so. Rudy had always been the kind of person who wanted to do something if he felt he was capable, and now that his best friend was kidnapped, that gave him a strong motivation to act. Mrs. Tabootie knew how much he cared about Penny, but she never thought that he would...

She tried to calm herself down. Maybe there was an explanation for this. Maybe Rudy had simply left the house while they weren't looking and went for a walk. He ran off that one time when he was upset with her and her husband. He had come back on his own and he was fine. This...this could be like that.

But there was a problem with this idea. It didn't add up. She and her husband were downstairs the whole time. They would have heard Rudy or seen him if he had tried to leave the house. Maybe he went outside, but all the windows were shut tightly and locked. And they could only be locked on the inside. So however Rudy had left the house, it wasn't by any means they could think of.

Mrs. Tabootie reminded herself that Rudy could still be in his hideout, like Joe always said. Maybe he had a secret way out that they weren't aware of. Before, it didn't really bother her that Rudy may have had a secret way out, but of all the times she wished she knew, this was one of them.

"Do you think we should all the police?" Her husband's voice broke the silence. She looked over at him, silent. Joe stared at her, his eyes furrowed in concern. "I mean...I want to believe that he's just in his hiding place thinking things through, but...I can't help but feel something is wrong."

Mrs. Tabootie nodded her head. "I know how you feel, dear. I..." She bit her lip for a second. "I just wish that Rudy opened up more to us. Why doesn't he tell us when he's running off? Because of that, I..I never know when..." She shook her head, a few tears forming in her eyes. "I never know when he's safe or when he's...he's..." She couldn't finish.

Joe walked towards her and placed his hands on her shoulder. Mrs. Tabootie sniffled and wiped away her tears. Joe said, "We'll think of something, Millie. I promise." He cupped her chin gently. "We'll figure out where Rudy went. We just need to look a little harder."

Mrs. Tabootie nodded. "Yeah... But where would we start?"

Mr. Tabootie turned his head, eyeing the stairs that they were standing close to. "His bedroom. There has to be a clue in there somewhere right? That's where he last was before he vanished."

Mrs. Tabootie wasn't sure what they could find his bedroom. They never really found anything unusual in there before. Rudy just had things one would expect a child who loves art would have. A bunch of art supplies, like paint, chalk, colored pencils, and other supplies. And she wasn't about to raid his dressers because all those had in it were his clothing. She should know; she put his clean laundry in there.

That's when it hit her. She and Joe never really thoroughly explored his room before. They cleaned it up, but they never took the time to explore every nook and cranny. There might not be anything special in his dressers or closet, but what about the other places? What if there was a secret exit in that room that Rudy used to get out?

...or what if someone else discovered this entrance and used it to take Rudy...?

A cold shiver went down her spine at this realization. The possibility of someone kidnapping her son... Her mind flashed back to how those two lunatics took her friend's daughter. What if there was a chance they wanted Rudy, too? What if someone else was in on this? What if...

No, it couldn't be... No, not something else. She was still shaken up from when Rudy was climbing up that dang pipe and nearly hurt himself. And now this? No...

"Millie?" Joe shook her gently. "Are you okay?"

Mrs. Tabootie blinked a few times, realizing that she had been spacing out a bit too long. She didn't answer her husband right away. Her mind swirled with thoughts. She sifted through them as her mind rapidly came to the only conclusion she could think of.

"I need to use the phone." Mrs. Tabootie said. She pushed by her husband and walked towards their house phone.

"Are you calling the police?" Her husband asked, following close behind. Mrs. Tabootie merely shook her head. This shocked her husband. "What?! Then..." She turned her hand, seeing him gesture towards her with his hand. "Who are you going to call?"

Mrs. Tabootie kept her eyes locked onto Joe's as she reached for the phone. She grabbed it in her hand and lifted it up. She raised her finger and hovered it over the buttons, ready to call out. "Penny's mom."

She ignored her husband's confused cries as she began to dial the number. If there was even the slightest chance that her friend knew anything about the kidnapping, if she knew anyone who would want to take Penny, maybe it could lead them to the answers they were searching for. It was a long shot, but it was the only chance they had.

She listened to the phone ring a few times. Seconds later, there was a click. She could hear the distraught voice of her friend on the other line.

"Hello...? Sanchez residence. Inez Sanchez speaking."

"Hello, Inez? It's me, Millie." Mrs. Tabootie said. "If it's not too much trouble, I want to talk to you. It's about Rudy and Penny."

sss

Terry smirked, her arms folded against her chest. Her plan was working, even better than she had hoped. She had managed to wringe out some important information from Snap. Seeing the defeated look on his face as he confessed what she wanted to know was so satisfying. After the way he humiliated her on national television, he deserved this. Maybe now he will think twice before he messed with her again.

Getting him to 'spill his guts' as the saying goes was quite easy. All she and Vinnie had to do was act like they were going to kill Penny. In his disoriented state, Snap would be less likely to tell if they were bluffing or not. Terry would never actually carry out the threat and neither would Vinnie. Harming human children the point of death was not what they had in mind or were interested in. But there was no way the little blue runt could know that, right? As a result, for her sake, he caved in.

Snap hadn't told her too much yet. He was able to confirm that Rudy doesn't create the magic chalk. Not that she believed that, but she and Vinnie wanted to rule it out anyway. He had also told her that there was an infinite amount of the stuff in ChalkZone and that any human can use it; it wasn't just Rudy. Considering the fact that she had used the magic chalk herself before, this didn't surprise her.

And now he had confessed to her of the location of this magic chalk. The one place in ChalkZone that had it, and was there for the taking. The smile on her face broadened a little. How foolish of the zoners to keep the chalk all in one place. Did they really think it was going to stop her and Vinnie? Oh how wrong they were.

"So...the Chalk Mine huh?" Terry said, tilting her head to the side. She smirked as Snap lowered his head, clearly ashamed of telling her about that place. "This is where the magic chalk comes from?"

Snap nodded his head slowly. "Y-Yes..."

"And all I have to do to maintain access to this place..." Terry raised up her fingers, counting off the steps that formulated in her mind. "Take Rudy's chalk. Create a portal. Head to the Chalk Mine. Sneak inside. Steal some chalk. Return home and keep it safe." Snap could only nod his head. "Excellent. See how easy that was, Snap? I promise you will be awarded for your cooperation."

"Stay away from him!"

Terry turned her head, looking towards Penny. Her smile faded as she glared at the girl. She noticed Penny had squirmed her head free. She was quickly gagged again, but her shout at her was enough to keep her attention for a few seconds. She still needed something to talk to Penny about. Snap provided plenty of information already. But there was one last thing she wanted to ask him before she would set her sights on Penny.

Pretending that Penny's shout at her didn't happen, the redhaired woman turned her attention back to Snap. The zoner looked up at her in fear, his body shaking harder. "Exactly where is the Chalk Mine?"

At this, Snap's eyes widened. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing would come out. If he looked scared before, he seemed terrified now. Terry watched him, smiling lightly. The zoner was about to reveal the last piece of information, and in doing so, he would ensure that she and Vinnie would have a way to get into ChalkZone. Hearing his answer for this would be the icing on the cake of her victory.

Watching the zoner squirm on the chair as amusing. He was looking left and right, his eyes darting around. He was trying to think of a way out of this, she presumed. She stared at him intently, a partial glare returning to her face. He gulped as he looked at her, realizing he didn't have much of a chance to get out of this.

"No, Snap!" Penny cried out. Terry shot a glare at her, unable to believe she got her head free again. "Don't do it! Don't listen to her! Don't tell her anything else! Don't..." She was quickly gagged again.

"You're an annoying little pest, aren't you?" Vinnie snarled at her.

Terry glared at Penny. She could just ignore her again, but this time, she wanted to give Penny reason not to try that again. She walked around behind Snap. The zoner looked around, trying to find her. Terry made sure Penny was watching the whole time as she took out her pen and placed it against Snap's throat.

"If you interfere again, Penny," Terry warned. "This pen is going through your friend's windpipe." Penny's eyes widened as she squirmed, muffled cries of protest sounding out. Terry narrowed her eyes. "Don't think I won't do it either..."

Snap whimpered, his body shaking. "P-Please..."

"And you!" Terry jerked hard, the pen pressing further against his neck, leaving behind a small ink trail. The look in Snap's eyes suggested it was causing him a bit of discomfort. She ignored it. "Tell me where the Chalk Mine is! Or Vinnie will break your friend's neck!"

Snap took in a few shaky breaths, looking left and right. He looked from Penny, whose eyes were wide in fear, shaking her head, silently telling Snap not do it. He then looked up at her, staring into her hate-filled eyes, staring at him expectantly. The zoner's breathing increased and Terry could swear she heard his heart pounding in his ribcage, echoing off the walls around them. His whimpers got louder and more pronounced. Tears stained his cheeks.

Terry kept glaring at him, waiting for him to answer. She watched as he squirmed in the chair. He began to struggle a bit, the fear starting to become too much for him. She snarled at this. She thought he had learned his lesson about struggling for too long. She was about to snap her fingers again when she noticed something. There was something off about the look in his eyes. She couldn't quite put her finger on it. It just seemed so... She wasn't sure of the word. Though such a look would usually spark concern from her, this time around, all it did was piss her off.

"Snap White! Answer me when I'm talking to you!" Terry growled at him.

Still, Snap didn't respond. Terry's frown deepened further. She shot a glare at Vinnie, who simply shrugged his shoulder. She then caught a glimpse of Penny's expression. Her eyes were wide in fear. At this, Terry slowly looked back, her expression softening up only just a bit. She noticed Snap was swaying his head from side to side, a behavior she knew wasn't normal for him.

Realizing something was wrong, Terry spoke in a somewhat calmer voice, even though she couldn't understand why. "Snap? Why are you acting like that?"

Then something happened that served as a reminder to her that Snap was sick.

Snap looked up at her, his mouth open as he appeared to be struggling to breathe. His eyes widened a little more, blinking as if he couldn't keep focus. His head swayed further from side to side. He tried to speak, but only a few squeaks could come out, unintelligable and feeble. His face looked redder than before, as though the fever had just gotten worse. Then, seconds later, his eyes fluttered shut and his body lurched forward.

"Snap? Answer me, you piece of shit!" Terry snarled. She gripped his shoulder and shook it. "If this is some kind of joke...!"

"Uh... Bouffant, ma'am...?" Terry glared at Vinnie. The man's eyes were wide in shock. "I...don't think he is playing around..."

Terry looked back down at the zoner. She realized that Vinnie had been correct. Snap wasn't faking this. The truth sunk in. Snap had passed out. Terry couldn't understand why at first, but it soon hit her. The interrogation... Her questions must have been stressing the zoner out to the point where his disease had gotten worse. His temperature rose and he passed out as a result.

A small pang of guilt clutched her heart, but it was short-lived. Her cold demeanor returned. "Well..there goes that. Quite unfortunate..." She turned her head to Penny, smiling eerily at her. "Fortunately, we have someone here who can...fill us in on the rest."

Terry began to walk towards Penny. The young girl was trying to get away from Vinnie, trying to get to Snap. Her eyes were wide with worry for her friend. Well ain't that tough? The girl can wait. Soon Terry reached her and she knelt down in front of her, blocking the view of her friend.

"Okay, Penny... It's your turn." Terry said. She reached out and touched Penny's cheek. "Tell me what I want to know... and I promise your friend will make it to the hospital on time." Terry ignored the pang as Penny looked at her with an expression of horror and anger. Terry responded only with a smile.

sss

Rudy let out a scream, holding onto Boorat tightly, his arms wrapped around his neck. The large rodent's feet pounded the ground as he zipped across the hallway at full speed. The sound of blasting could be heard behind them as the guards desperately tried to shoot Boorat. Rudy winced as some of the shots hit against the walls close to him, the sparkles nearly touching his body.

A larger guard, distinguished to Rudy's ears by a heavier stomping of the feet, raised up some kind of large weapon. Seconds later, there was a small bang and Rudy could hear something whirling and twisting in the air. He dared to glance behind him. His eyes widened when he saw a twirling net with weights heading right for them. Without thinking, he grabbed onto Boorat's hair and yanked on it.

"Look out!"

Boorat let out a yelp of pain when Rudy pulled his hair. His body twirled around as he tried to regain his footing. He collided against a wall and was stunned for a few seconds. The rat's body swayed from side to side and he shook his head, rubbing it. He turned his head, giving Rudy a sideways glare.

"Tabootie! Don't interfere!" The rat's dual voice rang out. "We almost got caught because of you!"

"Well you weren't moving out of the way and..." Rudy started to say.

Boorat snapped, "I knew it was coming and I was getting ready! I'm not deaf you know!"

Rudy opened his mouth to reply, but quickly shut it. He realized there was no use in arguing with the rat. He went quiet as he retightened his grip on his neck. Boorat got back to his feet and jumped into the air as another net was shot out at them. He landed a few feet away and resumed running. His heavy panting filled the air. Rudy was amazed he could keep this up for this long. He hoped that Boorat would keep up this stamina long enough for them to get away.

Rudy looked behind him. His heart tightened as he saw the guards rushing at them. Even from this distance, he could see the looks of horror, betrayal, and hurt on their faces. Horrified that Boorat was loose, and hurt and betrayed that Rudy himself was the reason why. Rudy could feel tears well up in his eyes. Of all the things, this was something he wished he never had to do. This was going to continue to hurt him for a long time. He had a feeling that this was going to damage his relationship with the zoners. He hoped that he could get them to listen, and apologize to them and explain why he did this.

His eyes widened in horror when he realized something. The thought just hit him now. He...he didn't have to do this. He could have just talked to Boorat, couldn't he? Yeah. He had the thought before, but due to time constraints, he pushed it aside. Now that thought was coming back full force, filling his stomach with bile. Yeah, he could have just talked to Boorat. He didn't have to break him free. The realization that he had just broken the law for an action that wasn't required hit him hard. He wanted to bang his head. How...how could he have been so fucking stupid...?

Well it was too late for that now. He already committed the act and it was too late to change it. He'll...he'll think of something later. He'll come up with a way to make it up to the zoners...somehow, he hoped. But for now, he needed to concentrate on getting the heck out of here.

Soon, he and Boorat reached the first room of the jail. Rudy didn't realize they had descended the steps earlier. Now they were in the large room with a couple of desks behind walls of wood and glass, where Rudy guessed people came in to see certain inmates, and likely where inmates were brought in to receive their number and be sent to an assigned cell. The room was a bit large, like a half circle with rounded edges, and a large carpet with an insignia laid on the ground. Up ahead were two large double doors, their destination, with a large window right above. Rudy urged Boorat to go faster.

As they got closer, suddenly, the sound of glass breaking was everywhere. Boorat suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked left and right, his red eyes wide in fear as a bunch of troopers stormed into the building from ropes. Rudy wondered if the guards here had sounded the alarm. He and Boorat looked cautiously around them. They were surrounded by the troopers, guns leveled and aimed at them.

"Stay right there! Keep your hands...and paws, where we can see them!" One of the troopers shouted.

Another trooper started to approach, holding his weapon steady, ready to fire. "You two have a lot of questions to answer." He glared coldly at Rudy. "Especially you...traitor."

Rudy's heart tore at that statement. He didn't mean to betray anyone. He was just trying to help his friends, Snap and Penny. He was going to make sure Boorat came back. He knew the dangers of letting him run loose.

Boorat growled at the trooper despite his fear. He lowered his body down, his teeth bared threateningly at the trooper. "Do you really think you can stop me?"

The same trooper pointed his gun at Boorat's head. "We have our orders. Dead or alive for you, Boorat." He aimed the gun at Rudy for a second before lowering it. "But the warden wants you alive, Rudy Tabootie. You have so much to answer to. Freeing a criminal... I hope for your sake you have a good reason for this."

"I do! I.." Rudy started to say.

The trooper raised up his hand. "Shut it! I don't want to hear it!" He pointed a finger at the boy and continued, "Save it for the judge! Just wait and see if you're allowed back into ChalkZone!"

Rudy's heart beat began to quicken. He was beginning to realize the full impact of his choices now. He really screwed things up. He wanted to beat himself up for being so stupid. He should have controlled himself better. He should have been more prepared. He should have...

He sighed and tried to clear his thoughts. Complaining about what he should have done will not do any good now. He needed to figure out a way to get out of here so he could get a chance to find Snap and Penny. He'll never find them if he's stuck here. But how was he going to get away? There were at least ten of these troopers, all of them aimed at him. They'd be able to see what he's doing. In other words, he couldn't draw anything to get him and Boorat out of this. He needed something else.

Then, as he heard the guards behind them catching up, hearing the net gun cocking and getting ready for use, Rudy remembered something. Boorat had excellent hearing, but these guards probably did not. If he were to whisper an idea to Boorat... But he'd have to think of a plan first. Without looking too suspicious, he moved his pupils around to get a good look at the room. The only window here was that large one above the double doors. It seemed to high to jump, until he recalled Boorat's spring tail could provide the boost they need. Maybe, just maybe...

"Boorat. Window." Rudy whispered in the softest voice he could muster.

Boorat turned his head and he stared at Rudy, his red eyes filled with confusion. He then looked towards the doors and tilted his head up slightly. Realizing what Rudy was talking about, Boorat took action.

Boorat rushed forward. Immediately the troopers began to fire. The sound of pellets clanged all around them. Miraculously, Boorat managed to get away without much of a scratch. A few bullets grazed his body, leaving behind bloody marks, but the fact that they didn't strike anything vital was a miracle. Boorat knocked over one of the troopers, taking him in his jaws and throwing him at the others. Rudy winced as they collided, the thud sound nearly echoing. He would have scolded Boorat for such a barbaric action, but he knew now wasn't the time for that.

Boorat dodged to the side as a net was shot out. The tip of his foot was caught and he nearly tripped. He and Rudy let out a scream as he nearly crashed. He was able to regain his footing just in time and he jumped into the air as a trooper attempted to shoot Boorat in the head. As they sailed through the air, the realization of what nearly happened dawned on Rudy.

Were they really so afraid of Boorat that they were willing to kill him? Dead or alive... Rudy's eyes widened in horror and his heart filled with guilt. He didn't realize just how terrifying that jail was until now. He resolved to do something about it as soon as he could. Boorat might be a jerk, but he didn't deserve to get killed.

Boorat jumped over another guard, and bounded forward a few more seconds. He lifted up his head, craning it so he could see the window above them. Rudy could see the look of determination in his eyes, feel his muscles tensing up, and he knew what was about to happen. The large rat hunched his shoulders and he jumped into the air. He didn't quite get that high, but that was when he shifted his body so that his coil tail faced the ground. Rudy held on as tightly as he could as Boorat bounced on his tail, gaining speed and height as he went along.

Behind them, he could hear the angry shouts of the guards and troopers trying to stop them. Nets and bullets flew everywhere, and Rudy could see a stray dart or two. Boorat, with his strong sense of hearing and keen nose, was able to dodge most of the attacks. He winced as more bullets ripped his flesh, but he did not stop. He kept his eyes on the window, gritting his teeth, unwilling to give up. And as soon as they got close enough, he gave it everything he had, and unleashed a jump that left even the troopers flabbergasted.

Time seemed to slow down, and everything around them went dark. Rudy was only aware of Boorat and the window in front of them. He held on, gripping the rat's fur. He didn't dare turn his eyes away from the window, which was rapidly approaching him. His eyes widened and, soon, they collided.

The impact, despite expecting it, was still a shock. The sudden cold feeling against his skin, accompanied immediately by intense sharpness, the glass cutting his skin, it wasn't a sensation he could prepare for. All around him, large pieces of glass flew in the air, glinting in the bright day zone sun. They twirled in the air, looking as though they were dancing. At the same time, Boorat's legs were stretched out. He looked almost graceful, as if he had done this a thousand times.

Rudy grunted as Boorat pounded the ground heavily. Boorat remained there for a few seconds, regaining his bearings from the high fall. He shook his head and looked behind him. Already, several guards and troops were rushing out, shooting at them. Boorat snarled at them but made no attempt to attack them. He shifted his gaze towards his front and bolted off.

Rudy hoped and prayed that this plan would work. He hoped that Boorat remembered where he was created. He hoped that was were Penny and Snap were. He hoped they were okay. If this plan didn't work...

He shook the thought out of his head. No time to dwell on that. They had to keep moving. He and Boorat kept running, doing their best to dodge the bullets and ignore the threatening banter behind them. Soon they disappeared into the horizon.

sss

Penny tugged at her binds, trying to escape. Her arms were tied securely in the chair. She glared hatefully at her captors, baring her teeth at them. Terry and Vinnie just stared coldly at her. Neither of them showed any remorse for what they had done. And why would they? They were cold, callous monsters. Snap proved that notion.

Penny felt a cold pang in her heart as she turned her head towards her friend. He had been untied and dropped like a heap on the ground. His arms and legs were tied up, but they left him ungagged for some reason. Terry didn't show any regret as she just dropped his unconscious body on the ground. The sight of her friend like this broke her heart. Snap had to get to the hospital and fast. He looked even worse than before.

But first she had to get out of here. How was she going to get away from her captors? Terry and Vinnie had their sights on her now. They barely paid attention to Snap, as if he wasn't even there. Their eyes bored through her soul, making her shudder. She turned her gaze away, not wanting to look at them in the eyes. She had no intention on telling them anything. The way they callously treated her friend gave her more of a reason to make sure they never got into ChalkZone.

But just how long could she resist? How long would it be before they did something that would force a surrender? Knowing them, it wouldn't be too long.

"Your friend kindly gave us information, Penny." Terry closed her hands together. "Why don't you be a good girl and..." He spread his hands apart. "...follow his example...?"

Penny growled at her. "You threatened me to get to him, you..you bastards!"

Terry's eyes flashed in anger, making Penny gulp. Terry quickly relaxed and merely chuckled at Penny's statement. "Whatever works, Sanchez. It got us results, did it not?" Penny growled at this. "Oh don't be so upset. Not like we killed him or anything."

"Yeah. And if you want it to stay that way, you best tell us where this Chalk Mine is." Vinnie said, jabbing a finger in Penny's direction. He moved in closer to Penny and grabbed her arm roughly. "I want my chalk world theme park!"

Terry grabbed Vinnie and yanked him back. "Watch it." She warned him. She then turned her attention back to Penny. "Now, if you would just be a dear and..."

"No!" Penny shouted at her. She took in a few heavy pants, her teeth partially bared, her eyes narrowing into slits. "I will not tell you where it is! You don't deserve to get into that world! You're just going to exploit it! You don't care about the citizens in there! Give me one good reason why I should tell you anything!"

Penny immediately regretted her words. Vinnie grabbed Snap roughly around the neck, squeezing it tightly. The man hoisted Snap off the ground and carried him over, returning to his partner's side. The anger immediately vanished from Penny's eyes as Vinnie held Snap out in front of him. Terry motioned towards Snap, her hard glare glued to Penny's face.

"Because if you don't, we'll..."

But Terry didn't get a chance to finish her statement. At that second, something caught her and Vinnie's eye. Freezing, the two adults turned their heads, looking back over their shoulders at something behind them. Penny moved from side to side, straining to see. The two adults were in the way, but she could catch a glimpse of something. A light? But..how could there be a light when...

That was when she heard something landing in the van. Not heavy, but still some weight to it. She could hear Vinnie and Terry gasp in shock. Penny struggled to see who it was. But she got her answer seconds later when a familiar voice rang out.

"Let my friends go!"

Penny couldn't believe it. How...how did he..? Where did...? She wasn't the only one confused. From what she could see of Terry and Vinnie's faces, they were just as shocked as she was at the boy's sudden arrival. The sensation of shock swelled up inside of them all and, unable to take it anymore, they unleashed it in a single cry.

"Rudy?!" They shouted in unison.


	13. Escape And Accident

Rudy should have known. He should have thought this through more. But in his brashness and desperation, he overlooked the things that he should have noticed before. He should have known that Boorat was going to try to pull some crap on him.

Although Rudy was taken by surprise, he had to mentally scold himself, for he should have seen this from a mile away. Boorat didn't care about him or his friends. All he wanted was the blasted magic chalk. The only reason he had agreed to help him was because he wanted out of the jail cell so he could have another attempt at stealing the magic chalk. Okay so he did actually realize this could happen, but he knew he should have prepared better for it.

Boorat had gotten away from the guards and troopers, dragging him along with him. They went out into some kind of forest. Rudy was so disoriented and upset about what happened and what he had done to really pay attention the exact forest. The only thing he remembered was that it wasn't far from where Boorat's creation point was, as he made mention something about running through here when looking for the magic chalk before.

Rudy had attempted to get Boorat to tell him where his creation point was so he could check it out. That was when he began to realize just how big a mistake he just made. Boorat just laughed at him and told him he had no intention on helping him. Boorat commented that it was going to be so easy taking the chalk from him when he didn't have his 'stupid friends' around to help him. Not long after saying that, the rat attempted to lunge at him. Rudy got out of the way and took a defensive stance, but that did nothing to slow down the rat, who repeatedly tried to pin him down.

All the while, Boorat had told him how stupid he was for believing he was actually going to help him. Rudy attempted to draw, but the rat was wise to this and did whatever he could to distract him. Rudy couldn't get into a good position to draw. The grey rat was large and swift. He couldn't get that far away from him before the large zoner would show up close to him again.

Boorat's attempts to grab the magic chalk nearly succeeded several times. Rudy barely dodged as Boorat's fist closed tightly in the air, or when he would snap his jaws to try to snag the chalk in his teeth. The sharp teeth nearly got caught on Rudy's hand. As he backed away from the fifth attempt, Rudy couldn't help but shudder as he imagined what it would feel like to have those sharp teeth slice his skin.

Eventually the two had stopped, and there was some sort of stand off. Boorat dropped down on all fours, pacing around Rudy like a predator ready to attack. Rudy kept a defensive stance, the magic chalk clutched tightly in his right hand in preparation to draw. The two, human and zoner, locked eyes onto each other, not daring to look away. They paced around each other in a large circle, waiting for the other to make a move. Rudy narrowed his eyes as he glared at Boorat. His mind raced as he tried to think of something he could do.

Their stalling did eventually allow for the guards and troopers to begin catching up to them. They hadn't exactly arrived, but he noticed Boorat's ear twitching and he shifted a nervous glance in that direction. That was Rudy's cue that they had been found.

In desperation, Boorat shifted his gaze towards him, baring his sharp teeth. He warned Rudy that he did not give him the magic chalk, he would make sure that the warden back the jail cell gives him a rather suitable punishment. Rudy wasn't sure exactly how Boorat was going to do that, but considering that his friends were in danger, it wasn't a threat he could take lightly.

But he couldn't allow Boorat to have the magic chalk. Even though there were no open portals and there wasn't much he could do with it, it was just too big a risk. He had to think of something else, and soon he figured out a counter threat of his own. He warned Boorat that if he doesn't show him where his point of creation was, he was going to make sure the guards catch him. A simple threat, but it was enough to get Boorat's attention. At first, Boorat tried to call his bluff, saying that Rudy wouldn't let him go back there if he knew just how crappy it was. But Rudy held firm, knowing his friends were in danger. And eventually, Boorat caved in.

Boorat took him into ChalkZone City. Rudy did his best to ignore the expressions he was getting from the other zoners as he focused on where Boorat was taking him. They soon came to about the middle of the city, in the middle of a road. Boorat sniffed around a few times, and he was able to pinpoint the exact location. Rudy thank him just as the guards and troopers showed up. Boorat was quickly netted, and Rudy listened as the zoner cursed his name, yelling about how he had tricked him. Rudy did his best to block it out. Then some of the guards showed up, accusing Rudy of being a traitor. Rudy promised to provide a full explanation later after he rescued his friends. A couple of the guards softened up slightly when they realized his friends were in danger, but they were still angry at him. Rudy promised to clear things up later.

Rudy didn't open up the portal right away. He hesitated, trying to think of exactly how he was going to go about this. He knew that it was a big risk to just open up the portal and jump through. He knew he had to come up with some sort of plan. But..how was he going to do that if he didn't know what kind of condition his friends were in? Or if they were even there? Rudy knew there was only one way to find out.

It was hard ignoring the whispering all around him. Several zoners had gathered around, some angry at what he did, others merely curious. He did his best to block it out as he concentrated on the spot Boorat showed up. He hoped the zoner was telling him the truth and not fibbing just to try to get out of jail. He raised up his magic chalk and placed it against the wall, looking for a solid surface. He was relieved when he found one, indicating there was something 'chalk usable' here. He drew a small circle and took a peak inside.

He had to stifle a gasp of horror when he saw the condition his friends were in. Penny was strapped down, being interrogated, while Snap was being held up by his neck, unconscious. He bit his lip as he noticed how worse Snap looked now. His heart pounded against his chest, his teeth clenching tightly. Seeing just how poorly his friends had been treated made his blood boil. With all rational thought leaving him, Rudy took action. He draw a larger portal and jumped through, demanding that Vinnie and Terry release his friends.

Now here he was, standing in what he guessed was Terry's van. He glared hatefully at the two humans before him, not daring to turn his eyes away. Penny and the two evil adults stared at him in shock, not having expecting him to come through the chalkboard. Then after the initial shock was over, the two of them glared back, a small smile forming on their faces. It was then that Rudy realized he may have just made a big mistake.

He didn't have a plan. He didn't stop and think thoroughly about what he was going to do. He had just jumped straight into the room, straight into the danger, without preparing himself. He also had left the portal open, and he could see there were no erasers on the chalkboard itself. There may have been one behind him, but there was no way he could grab it and erase the portal before Terry or Vinnie could grab his portal. He could use his hand to erase, but it would be slower and less efficient, and he had the magic chalk with him. If he stopped to erase, one of the two could rush him and take the magic chalk from him.

In other words, he was stuck.

Terry chuckled. She moved away from Penny, turning to face Rudy completely. "Well..isn't this a pleasant surprise?" She folded her arms. "I wasn't expecting you, Tabootie. But..I'm glad you came. Your friends were are just small fries. It is you we want. You are the one who can help us the most."

"You're our ticket to fame." Vinnie said. He dropped Snap on the ground carelessly. "I promise if you help us, we will make it worth your while." Rudy glared at him, but Vinnie only smiled more.

"So..." Terry made a gesture with her hand. "Will you help us...? For the sake of your friends here...?" At this, Penny shot a shocked look at the woman, who merely shrugged it off. "We would hate to have something happen to them. If you want us to let them go, we will...but only if you let us come into ChalkZone."

Rudy clenched his teeth. He glared at the woman, unable to believe what was happening. Was this woman nuts? Did she really think he was going to just let them into ChalkZone like that? She must be out of her mind if she believed that.

That was when he reminded himself of the position he was in. He was unable to erase the portal. Terry and Vinnie could see it clearly, the light shining through. They had both his best friends hostage, and they were in position to do anything they wanted with them. He wasn't sure if they would try to harm Penny that badly, but Snap... Would they even show restraint to him? He reminded himself of how Mr. Wilter treated Snap and his stomach filled with toxins. It wasn't a risk he could afford to ignore.

"I can't betray ChalkZone." Rudy said simply, his eyes narrowed. Before Terry had a chance to speak, he cut her off. "But I'm not abandoning my friends either." Although he knew it was useless, he said, "Give them back."

Vinnie blinked at the boy disbelieving. He folded his eyes, cocking an eyebrow. "What makes you think we're going to do that?"

At this, Rudy didn't have an answer. He did try to speak, but he remained silent. The adults smiled at him, realizing he had nothing to go on. Rudy lowered his head slightly and took a step back. But he refused to back down and simply glared at the evil adults. He glanced at Penny, giving her a look that promised her he would figure a way out of this, somehow.

"You're getting sloppy, Tabootie. Where is that clever genius you showed before when you and Snap humiliated me on television?" Terry's tone took a dangerous level as she said this. Rudy couldn't help but gulp, sensing some kind of threat in her voice. The woman tilted her head, her glare still on her face. "And now you drop in, expecting us to just hand over your friends, without any kind of reward for us?" She placed a hand on her chest. Her eyes widened slightly as she mocked surprise and shock. "Why..that seems really unfair..." She leaned towards him. "...don't you think...?"

"And exposing ChalkZone and enslaving zoners is quite acceptable?" Rudy snarled back.

"Considering they're just chalk people, we would think so." Terry replied.

Vinnie shrugged. "They can always be redrawn, so no harm done." He pointed a finger at Rudy and said, "No one is going to complain about some zoner getting their leg ripped off, but we'll get our pants sued if it happened to a human. There is a difference here, kid. If you can't accept that, it's your own fault."

"You're wrong! They..." Penny started to say.

Vinnie glared at her and smacked her on the head. Rudy's eyes widened in horror as Penny's head was jerked forward painfully. She gritted her teeth, hissing in pain. "Shut it, girl! It's not your time to speak!"

"Penny!" Rudy cried. He glared at Vinnie. "Don't you dare hurt her again!"

Vinnie stared at Rudy for a few seconds before giving a bitter chuckle, folding his arms against his chest. Terry took a step towards Rudy, and said, "Oh calm down. It wasn't like he hurt her real bad. However..." She glanced down at the still unconscious Snap. "He looks like he might need more help." Rudy's eyes widened. "Maybe we can get him help..." She tapped her chin for a second before gesturing calmly to Rudy. "If you let us in that is..."

Rudy bared his teeth at him. "No way! You don't care about him! Why should I believe you?"

"Because you do care about him. You're right. Vinnie and I don't give a crap about Snap. But we know you do. If you want to see your precious friend another day, then we trust you will do the right thing." Terry glared at Rudy expectantly. "So what's it going to be, Tabootie...?"

Rudy was at a loss of what to do. He knew he couldn't let these two monsters into ChalkZone. But how was he going to stop them? They had him by the neck here. Even if they don't go after Penny again, they still had Snap. They could very easily break his neck if they wanted to. With him unconscious, it would be easier, especially for Vinnie, whose large arms indicated that he was capable of snapping the zoner's neck with little effort. So long as these two had his friends captive, there wasn't a lot he could do.

Yet he couldn't just give up. There had to be a way around this. Something he wasn't thinking of. There was no way he would just allow these two entry into ChalkZone. They didn't deserve it. They didn't belong in there. Rudy would never forgive himself if he let them inside. He kept himself positioned in front of the portal, his eyes silently telling the two adults they better not get any closer. He wasn't sure what he could do if they did decide to approach, however, and he opted not to do anything that would inspire them to make a move.

He wished he had planned this out better. He should have just gone to his parents. Why didn't he do that? He should have went to them and told them he found out where Penny was. They would wonder just how he found out, but they would worry about that later as they alerted the authorities. He should have called the police for this. Sure, his first call regarding Mr. Wilter 'killing' Snap was based on a misunderstanding. But this would have been the real deal. They would have tracked down Terry's van and found them.

Rudy felt a pang in his chest as he realized just how much he really screwed things up. He should have been more careful. He should have calmed himself down, not allow anger to take a hold of him like this. He should have come back and report to his parents and the police about his findings. But instead, he did this... and now he may have just ruined things for everyone.

He tried his best to fight back against the feelings of guilt. There was no use crying about it now. What's done was done. He tried to keep all his attention on working out another plan. He could feel the wheels in his head turning as he tried to think of another possibility. He could feel a burning sensation in his fingers and the back of his head as he realized he couldn't really think of anything. He was coming up dry. This realization frightened him, and his glare softened up slightly. He took a small step back. He still held his ground, but there was some hesitation now, and Terry and Vinnie could see it.

Terry approached Rudy slowly. The young boy kept his position in front of the chalkboard. He glared hatefully at her, baring his teeth. But he did not budge from the spot, keeping his feet firmly planted on the ground. Terry kept walking towards him, a smile spreading across her face as she closed the gap between them. Soon, she stood right in front of him, staring down at him with her arms folded.

She chuckled as she saw how determined Rudy was to stay put. She moved in a little closer, making Rudy cringe towards the chalkboard, his body practically pressed up against it. Terry looked amused by this. She turned from side to side, as if trying to move in from behind him. Rudy kept repositioning himself, ensuring that the woman didn't have a chance to squeeze past him. He did his best to hide the portal from her, but the glint in her eyes told him that he wasn't able to stop her from seeing over his shoulder and into ChalkZone. That look in her eyes...it was terrifying.

"Well, looks like you're out of options, kid." Terry sneered. She walked closer, placing her hands on the chalkboard. She cornered Rudy against it, nearly making him fall back through the portal. "I wonder how your little zoner friends will feel when they see me walking in."

Rudy stared at her, trying not to show the fear that was welling up inside of him. No, it can't end like this. There had to be something else. Another way... Something he missed... Anything... Please, this couldn't happen. Please...

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Terry screamed. Rudy snapped his head back in shock, staring at her, seeing the expression of fear and pain in her eyes. She stumbled backwards, flailing her arms as she tried to keep her balance. She looked down towards the ground, indicating the sudden pain came from there. Before Rudy could look down, he caught a look of rage in the woman's eyes, nearly freezing his blood.

"Snap! You fucking dare bite me again?!" Terry shouted, anger laced on her words.

Rudy barely had time to register that Snap was awake now, his mind filled with confusion. Again...? Snap bit her earlier? He took a closer look at Terry and soon noticed something he hadn't before. On her arm were bite marks. Tears in the skin, and red blood clinging to her arm. He winced at the sight of them. He knew Snap wouldn't have done that on purpose and it must have been a fear response to whatever she was doing. In other words, she earned that bite.

He didn't dwell on that now. He watched in horror as Terry bent down to grab Snap. The zoner was clinging to her leg with his right arm. His jaws were closed around her ankle, which was exposed. His teeth sank into her leg, and he could see some blood starting to come out. Terry, her face red with fury, attempted to grab Snap. He looked up at her and, with a loud growl, released her ankle and bit down on her finger. She screamed and pulled her finger back. She looked at her injured finger for a few seconds before she growled and looked down at Snap.

Vinnie rushed forward. Faster than anyone could react, he grabbed onto Snap by his cape. He yanked him up into the air. The pressure against the zoner's neck caused him to gag. Snap barely struggled, the fever still having a strong hold over him. Terry got up to her feet and brushed herself off. She walked to where Vinnie held Snap, the two of them glaring at the small blue zoner with disgust.

"I told you not to bite me again. Now I'm going to..." Terry started to say.

"No!" Rudy shouted, holding out his hand, his eyes wide in horror. "Please, don't hurt him! Can't you see he's sick?"

Terry stared at Rudy, blinking her eyes. She looked down at Snap. She shrugged her shoulders. "Who cares? You can always redraw him later, Rudy. But if you don't want him harmed.." She gave Rudy a cold, sideways glance. "Step away from the chalkboard and let us in."

"I..." Rudy's voice trailed off. He tried to think of a way out. But nothing came to his mind. He let out a groan of frustration, wishing he had actually thought of a plan before rushing in here. "Please..." He pleaded with them. "Isn't there...anything else? Can't we negotiate..?"

Vinnie raised an eyebrow. "Why would we negotiate with a ten year old?"

"Because..maybe we could work something out...?" Rudy suggested. The two adults stared at him, remaining silent. He pressed on. "Maybe we work out a deal or something..."

Snap looked at him disbelievingly. "Rudy..." The boy's heart twisted as he heard how dry the zoner's voice sounded. "Y-You can't..."

Vinnie shook the zoner hard, making him cry out in pain. "Shush it!" He looked back at Rudy, his eyes locking onto his frightened and horrified ones. "Keep talking, kiddo. We're listening..."

Before Rudy could continue, he noticed something from behind the two adults. Penny was making some kind of movement. He thought it was struggling at first, but he soon realized this not to be the case. She looked like she was attempting to get free. She had some kind of object in her hand. Realizing that this could be the only distraction Penny could have to get out, he decided to play along, and do whatever it took to keep the adults' attention.

"Y-Yeah..." Rudy said, a small smile spreading across his face. He held his hands out at his sides. "Maybe we both can benefit from it. I mean, it would get tiring trying to keep you two out all the time. I know you'll never give up, am I right? You'd keep trying to get back into ChalkZone."

"You know us so well, kid." Vinnie said with a grin.

"We have every right to have access to that world. And the public deserves to know about it." Terry said, her eyes narrowed. "What gives you the right to hog it all for yourself?"

"Yes, I know you might feel...perplexed at what I'm doing. I protect ChalkZone to make sure people like you don't harm it. But..if we were to arrange some kind of truce..." Rudy placed his hands together, smiling the best he could, taking care to make himself look as less suspicious as possible. "...maybe we could work out a deal that could help all of us. Maybe arrange a secluded part of ChalkZone and..."

"No deal!" Vinnie pointed a finger at Rudy. "That isn't what I had planned!" He pointed a thumb at his chest. "My theme park isn't the only thing I want built! I'm going to have tourist attractions all over that world! I'm not going to seal off my paying customers in some little box! So if this deal of yours involves me limiting my vision..." He made a swiping motion with his flattened hand. "You can forget about it!"

"Well compromises must be made." Rudy said. "If both sides don't sacrifice something, then it's not really team work."

"The only one who will be sacrificing anything is you, Rudy." Terry moved towards Rudy, making him take a small step back. "Do you really think we would be dumb enough to listen to you? You're just a selfish little brat who wants most of that world to himself. Well sorry, kid. But our plans involve as much of that world as possible. You are not going to keep us from doing what we want. As soon as we get in, we are going to secure the place, and you and Penny will not be allowed in." She glanced down at Snap. "I suppose I'll let your friend heal...but as soon as he's able-bodied, he's going to work."

"Yeah! He could be chained to a raft or something, and give peole tours down a river somewhere." Vinnie thought out loud.

Rudy did his best to hide his fear at that statement. His mind flashed back to when Biclops told him about how things would be if Vinnie got his way. He had shown him images of the future and they were heart wrenching to look at. One image in particular was his friend shackled to a raft, ready to give tours, albeit unwillingly, to Vinnie's customers.

Although anger boiled inside of him as he listened to Vinnie and Terry talk about what they're going to do with Snap, he kept himself calm. He took in a deep breath and exhaled. He had to keep these two off their guard. So he continued on, acting as if they hadn't made any comments about his friend. Before he continued, he looked into Snap's eyes. The zoner looked at him, his eyes filled with worry. Rudy gave him a look that silently promised him everything was going to be all right. He turned his attention back to Terry and Vinnie.

"Well, I happen to know that world better than you." Rudy placed his thumb against his chest in an almost prideful manner. "I know where practically everything is, what's dangerous, who would be most cooperative, and some other things. I would believe you'd benefit from my knowledge." He narrowed his eyes slightly. He pointed a finger in their direction. "But I'll only be willing to help you if you are willing to listen to me."

"I don't see a reason why we should listen to you beyond you giving us the magic chalk we need."

Terry nodded her head. "Tell us... What would be the downside of not following your instructions?"

Rudy gave a sly smile as he began to list off some possibilities.

"You could piss off some chocolate bunnies and get mauled, you could get turned into a werefrog, you could go toe to toe with a giant rock monster, you could end up using the wrong type of chalk and get screwed over, you could anger the wrong zoner and get ripped to shreds, you could..."

"Okay we get it, kid!" Vinnie shouted, cutting the boy off. "Of course, we could solve a lot of those problems if we had some magic chalk."

"Yes, Rudy. If you're worried we'll get hurt, then why don't you provide us with some magic chalk so we can defend ourselves?" Terry asked, her hands on her hips, staring at Rudy expectantly.

Before Rudy could answer, Penny's voice sounded out in the van, taking everyone, except Rudy, by surprise.

"Because the offer expired!"

"Hey!" Vinnie cried in surprise as Penny yanked Snap out of his clutches when he least expected it. "Give him back!"

"No!" Penny backed away from the two adults as they glared at her. She carefully cradled her friend against her, helping to support him. "He isn't yours!"

"I don't know how you got free, you little brat..." Terry growled at the girl. "But we are not playing any g..."

Suddenly, as soon as she took a step forward, she fell down. She smashed her face against the hard ground below her. She pushed herself up on her hands and shook her head. Vinnie gave some questioning cries as he tried to get closer. He, too, stumbled forward and landed on the ground, hitting his side painfully. Rudy looked at this in confusion, wondering just what he had missed. He soon saw the cause of their tripping.

Somehow, as he was talking to these foul humans, Penny had not only managed to get free, but she had tied their shoe laces together, effectively slowing them down. He couldn't help but tick his mouth in a small smile, impressed with how quick and clever Penny can be when push came to shove. But now wasn't the time to congratulate her. This was their chance at escape. Rudy picked up an eraser as Terry and Vinnie were still stuck on the ground. He quickly erased the portal, cutting off the adults' access to it.

"Rudy..." Terry said in a dangerously low voice. "If you don't..."

Rudy ignored her completely. He turned his attention to Penny. "Hurry! Let's get out of here!"

The kids didn't waste time. Rudy rushed over to Penny's side and helped her carry Snap. He was careful as he held onto his left arm, making sure he was holding only his upperarm where the wound wasn't present. He bit his lip as he saw the hole in his arm up close. He forced his gaze away as he and Penny made a ran for it out of the van.

They didn't bother stopping to see where they were. They just kept on running, their legs pounding the ground, Snap's whimpers of pain and fear twisting their hearts. As they kept running, they heard the chug of an engine roaring to life. The sound of it filled their vessels with ice. They froze and turned their heads slowly, looking behind them. They gasped in horror as they saw the headlights on Terry's newsvan had been turned on.

His mind froze. How did they get up so fast? How did... He had not time for this. He looked at Penny and screamed the one word that was on their minds.

"Run!"

The newsvan began to move forward, the lights shining straight on them. Rudy and Penny ran as fast as they could, holding onto their friend. The chase had begun.

sss

How could this have happened...?

Why did this happen...?

Why didn't she see it coming...?

Mrs. Sanchez's mind was buzzing with different questions. None of which she could answer. She never felt this confused before, nor this frightened. This, all this, it seemed to happen out of nowhere. The suddenness of this hit her like a truck, making her feel numb and cold inside.

When she took Penny to the hospital for her foreign exchange student friend, Snap, she never thought it would end up like this. She still remembered the horror that waved through her body when she saw those two carry her daughter off. She wished she had moved faster, but her feet were glued to the ground, her mind in such a state of shock. By the time she moved, it was too late, and the two fiends had gotten away.

She immediately contacted the authorities, alerting them to her daughter's kidnapping. She then attempted to do some searching herself. She had even appeared on the news as she made the public aware of what happened. She drove around town, slowly and quietly, trying to see if there was any sign of her daughter or her kidnappers anywhere. But, no surprise, she had no luck. With no idea where they went and knowing they'd want to be hidden, it was useless trying to find her daughter by herself. As much as she hated it, she had to return home and wait for phonecalls from anyone who had any information about her daughter.

She didn't think things could get any worse, but that was when her friend, Millie, called her up on the phone. Mrs. Sanchez was horrified to learn that Rudy went missing. Her heart sped up, and she wondered if he had been kidnapped as well. Could the kidnappers have targeted him due to his connection with Penny? The thought filled her with anxiety.

Millie had wanted to talk to her on the phone, but Mrs. Sanchez insisted she come over and talk to her in person. She hung up the phone and stuffed it into her pocket. She locked up the house, and went over to the Tabooties' as soon as she could. She wasted no time, knowing that time was of the essence.

When she arrived and went into the house, she could see her friends sitting in the living room. She nearly cried as she saw the looks on their faces. So distraught and worried... It was hard when your child goes missing. It was a hard lesson they were all learning. She could only hope that things would work out in the end, somehow.

"Do you...know of anyone who would want to harm your daughter?"

Mrs. Sanchez looked up as Millie's voice broke the silence. She could see the large woman sitting with her husband, leaning against him for comfort and support. Joe was doing what he could to comfort his wife, patting her back gently. Millie's gaze was away from her, somewhat downward. The only sign of her talking was her partially open mouth.

Mrs. Sanchez tried to think of an answer. Did she know anyone who would harm her daughter? She sighed, knowing the answer in an instant. "I...don't know really." She shook her head from side to side. "I wish I knew. Penny generally gets along with everyone. Well there is Reggie Bullnerd but come on..." She raised her hands in the air. "He's not going to kidnap her or Rudy."

"Yeah, we never thought it would be him." Joe said. "But...you really don't know of anyone? Any strange person?"

"Hmm..." Mrs. Sanchez lowered her gaze slightly. "Well, there was one incident I recall..."

"What is it?" Millie asked.

"I don't remember all the details. But I do recall one time not too long ago where Penny was complaining about this newscaster following her everywhere." Mrs. Sanchez said. "When I asked her, Penny just said the woman was crazy and wouldn't leave her alone. I told her that she should file for harrassment if the woman kept bugging her."

At this, Millie and Joe widened their eyes. They looked at each other for a few seconds and back at Mrs. Sanchez. Something about their expressions told her that they apparently know about this woman.

"Same with Rudy..." Millie breathed. "He..He said that he was being followed by this newscaster who wouldn't leave him alone, even after he told her to get lost."

"We didn't think anything of it... But if this woman wanted something with our children..." Joe looked from Millie to Mrs. Sanchez, a look of realization striking him. "I am certain now she must be the one behind this!"

Mrs. Sanchez nodded her head a few times, her eyes narrowed. That sounded sensible enough. It made sense. This woman sounded determined to get whatever information she wanted out of Rudy and Penny. If she was desperate enough, maybe she would resort to kidnapping. She could have locked their kids up somewhere and was probably forcing them to relent the information. But just how far would she go? She knew the other parents would be with her when she said she didn't want to find out.

As she sifted through her memories, she became certain that the newscaster was one of the kidnappers who took her daughter and possibly her friends' son. Now if she could just figure out which newscaster it was...

Then she froze. She thought again about how that one kidnapper looked. The red hair, the green outfit... Wasn't there a newscaster she knew who looked like that..? Mrs. Sanchez thought about this long and hard, rubbing her chin thoughtfully as she contemplated. She kept sending mental images to her head, a green outfit and red hair accompanying different visions of people who entered her mind. This went on for several minutes. She could sense Joe and Millie looking at her with concern. But she did not speak, concentrating on her thoughts.

It was then she remembered something. Wasn't there a newscaster who became obsessed with one type of story? A newscaster who would do whatever she could to get some dirt? A newscaster who had an unhealthy focus on some fable and was the laughing stock of the town? Someone who ended up bald on national television ?

Terry Bouffant.

At that name, her eyes bulged open and she took in a sharp breath. Terry...she had red hair... And she always wore a green business suit. It..it was her... It had to be her... She could feel her heart pounding against her chest, feeling it thud against her ribcage. It was Terry... She's the kidnapper... The realization made her head spin.

"Inez...?" Millie asked, concern laced on her voice. "Are you okay...?"

"I know who did it."

Joe and Millie looked at her in confusion.

"You what...?" Joe inquired.

"I know who took our children." Mrs. Sanchez stood up from her chair slowly. She looked down at her two friends, her eyes narrowed slightly as anger started to make itself known. "And I know exactly how to find her."

Joe and Millie's eyes widened in shock. Their mouths dropped open. They again looked at each other. They tried to speak, but no words would come out. They looked back at Mrs. Sanchez, staring at her, clearly wondering if she was playing some kind of sick joke. She simply nodded her head, answering their silent question. Then, slowly, the two of them had hope start to shine on their faces.

"Y-You do...?" Millie asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Mrs. Sanchez nodded. "Who..?"

Mrs. Sanchez replied immediately. "That newscaster. The one that has been pestering our children." She stared into her friend's shock-filled eyes. "She and her partner, whoever he is, they are the ones responsible."

Joe bit his lip. "And you say you know how to find her?"

Mrs. Sanchez nodded her head. "Yes. Now come along. We don't have much time."

The three adults immediately left the house. Upon Mrs. Sanchez's instructions, they got into the car and began to drive out into the city.

sss

Terry ignored the fact that people would realize something was up. She ignored Vinnie holding on for dear life. She ignored all rationality. The only thing on her mind were her enraged thoughts, and determination to get back what was rightfully hers.

These three little brats.. They took everything from her. They took her fame and her job. They took away her dignity. And now, they were taking away her one chance at proving to the world she wasn't crazy. She had tried for so long to get back to where she was before. She had wanted so badly to be taken seriously again. But they...they were stealing it away from her.

Not this time.

Terry floored the van's accelerator. She needed to go faster. She needed to catch up with them. The two brats were smart to lead their friend onto the grass. It was difficult gaining speed here, but she was catching up to them. A smile spread across her face as she get closer. Her mind was so filled with racing thoughts that she hardly paid attention just what she was trying to do. What would she do when she caught up with them? Would she pull out in front of them or run them over? At the moment, she cared not about this. The only thing she wanted to do was get back at them.

The newsvan hit against a bump in the hill, causing her van to jerk violently to one side. Terry and Vinnie let out a scream as the van twirled in a few circles, her tires screeching on the ground. The newsvan hit against a tree, and she could feel the metal dent as her body jerked forward. She could Vinnie let out a cry of pain as his head was banged against the headdesk. She ignored the pain, ignored his groans, as she turned her head in the direction the three went.

Rudy and Penny were helping their chalk friend run across the grass, supporting his arms with their own. They weren't moving very fast, and yet they still managed to gain considerable distance from her. Terry snarled at this. No, they were not going to get away. Not this time. She looked down at her shift stick, yanking it into reverse. The tires squealed as she slammed the accelerator, moving backwards at a fast rate. She shifted the stick again and spun the wheel as she headed towards the trio again.

"You've gone crazy, sister!" Vinnie cried. "Slow down! You might hit them!"

Terry did not listen. She tightened her grip on the steering wheel, sneering directly at the trio as she got closer. The three kids took notice of her and their faces paled. They then turned to the side and went through a pair of tall trees. Terry growled and turned off in their direction.

"You better slow down! If you hit them, we'll be in big trouble!" Vinnie's voice was shrill, filled with panic. His grip on his chair tightened as he watched this scene play out. "Stop this!"

But Terry did not listen to him. She heard his words, but they barely registered in her head. She narrowed her eyes as she stared at the three children in front of her. She pushed on the accelerator more, ignoring the bumping and jostling, her mind focused on just getting them. She was getting closer. Just a little more...

As Terry continued to chase them down, she did not notice where she was. She didn't realize that, in all the driving, she had somehow ended up in Plainsville Park. She didn't notice the people jumping out of the way as she gave chase to the children. She didn't notice Vinnie screaming at her to stop. She barely registered when she struck a park bench or two, or running over a couple of small toys that some local kids were using to play with. She could only see Rudy, Penny, and Snap trying to escape.

And she was not going to let them get away. This time, she was going to catch them. This time, she was the one who was going to get the last laugh. At this point, she was so enraged she wasn't even thinking of the consequences, or just what she was going to do with them. All she cared about was getting them. Even the pain from Snap's bites seem to vanish as her adrenaline and rage powered her forward.

So close... almost there...

Right on their tail...

Much closer..almost...

It was then that Vinnie's voice range out. It pierced through her thoughts, and this time, she listened.

"Look out for the fountain!"

"Huh?!" Terry let out a questioning cry. But she was too late to react.

The impact came suddenly and without warning. The newsvan came to a sudden stop. The loud squeaking and breaking of metal rang in her ears, accompanied by a choir of her screams and Vinnie's as they were jostled forward violetly. The airbag smashed against her face, and she could feel its burning sensation. She could hear rock cracking and then the splatter of water as the fountain's fluids began to fill her vehicle partially. In seconds, she became aware of the smell of smoke, and she realized the engine had been ripped apart by the collision.

Terry coughed a few times as the smoke began to get to her. She started to lose focus, strength leaving her. She realized she had slammed her head quite hard. Her vision started to blur a little. She thought she could hear shouting all around her. People were approaching, frantic, terrified. She couldn't understand a word being said. She attempted to move, but stopped, nearly screaming as she felt a seering pain in her side. It was then she took notice of something warm leaking out of her and she realized she was bleeding.

Turning her head, she looked over at Vinnie. He was laying against the headdesk, his head twisted to one side, looking pretty beat up. She could hear his groans of pain, and she saw some red. Was he leaking blood out of his mouth...? For a quick second, she felt a pang of guilt, wondering just what had gotten into her. What...what had she done...?

But she didn't have time to let this fully register. Darkness consumed her, shrouding her mind and vision. Her eyes slowly fluttered shut and her body went limp.

sss

Rudy stood there, horrified, at what had just transpired. He..he couldn't believe it. This isn't what he wanted... He..he never meant for this to happen...

He barely heard Snap's weak voice trying to comfort him. He barely felt Penny's hand on his shoulder as she tried to soothe him. He didn't pay attention to the people standing near him, some asking if he and his friends were okay, some rushing over the ruined remains that was Terry's newsvan. The only thing he could see was that van. Such a horrible sight...

Rudy and his friends had a hard time getting away from Terry. None of them could understand just what had gotten into her. Why had she been trying to run over them? Or was she going to do that? He wasn't sure, and somehow, he had a feeling neither did Terry. Maybe she was just so enraged that she acted upon it without even thinking. Either way, she was chasing them down relentlessly, and they had to get away fast.

Penny suggested going on the grass to the slow them down. This had worked for a time, but the crazy newscaster had been so determined to get them that she sped up more on the grass. The sound of grass and dirt being ripped into the air echoed in their heads as the crazed woman followed them, getting closer. They zigzagged whenever they could, but this was not a solution they could use often due to Snap's condition. They could hurt him worse.

So Rudy came up with the idea of going through the park. He thought that if they went to an area where there were lots of people, that Terry would stop. He had been so wrong.

As the crazed woman gave chase, she didn't seem to notice anyone around her. She had run into a bench, over some toys, and none of that made her realize what she was doing. There had been people waving their hands, shouting in a mixture of anger and surprise and fear as the woman drove her newsvan through the park, nearly hitting many people in the process. At this point, Rudy wasn't even paying attention to where they were going either, and he led his friends down different paths, turning left and right, hoping that they would eventually lose the woman.

He didn't see the fountain until it was too late. He had skidded to a stop, and he and his friends looked at the fountain in horror. They turned around just as the newsvan's headlights shined on them. They froze for a few seconds and they dodged to the side.

The sound of tires screeching, metal mashing and twisting, rocks shattering, and water splashing everywhere filled his ears. He and Penny managed to get Snap away from the fountain before he water could hit him. But they barely had time to register the full horror of what almost happened to him. Their minds were numb in shock as they stared at the twisted and destroyed newsvan, smoke pillowing out of it. The image became ingrained in Rudy's head.

"N-No.. I-I didn't..." Rudy said softly, his body shaking. "I didn't mean for this to happen..."

"We know, Rudy. We know." Penny said softly.

Snap hissed in pain, but soon managed to speak. "I-I-It's okay, B-Bucko.. This wasn't your f-f-fault..."

Rudy wanted to feel comforted by their words. He wanted to believe this was all just a horrible accident. He would never deliberately hurt anyone. He'd never want anyone, not even his worst enemies, get badly injured. He had just wanted to get away. He only wanted them to leave him and his friends alone. He may have been furious at them for what they did. But he..he never wanted this...

Yet, no matter how hard he tried, he still couldn't help but feel responsible for what happened. He was the one running away. He was the one who chose the directions they want. He was the one who inadvertantly led Terry and Vinnie to this water fountain. And he, on some level, was the reason they had crashed into the fountain. This...this was his fault.. No matter how much his friends tell him, it was his fault.

Rudy watched as the ambulance arrived on the scene. His mind raced as the paramedics jumped out of the vehicle and rushed over to the van. He remained frozen there, watching as they pulled the mangled and distorted bodies of his adversaries. He winced as he could see their injures. Vinnie's broken arm with bone sticking out... Terry's large gash in her side and her burned face... Vinnie's massive bruising on his head... The blood leaking from the top of Terry's head...

Rudy could only stare, his eyes glued to the horrific scene, as the paramedics loaded the two humans onto stretches and carried them towards the ambulance. The doors shut and the ambulance started to pull out. He turned his head slightly, following the ambulance as it carried Terry and Vinnie off.

Soon, Rudy couldn't take it any longer. "No!" He cried as he dropped down onto his knees, holding his head tightly. His friends attempted to comfort him, but he hardly paid attention.

"Hey..." A tall man with dark hair approached the three children. He placed a hand on Rudy's shoulder. The boy forced himself to look up. "Are you three okay...?"

"Y-Yeah..." Rudy said, unable to hide the tears that began to drip down his face. "We're fine..."

"Can you...take us back home...?" Penny's voice came.

After that, Rudy's mind a confusing mess of thoughts. He could catch a few things being said. He thought he heard some of the adults around them trying to get them to take Snap to a hospital, and Penny trying to convince them not to. At them moment, Rudy's mind was so numb, filled with horror, that he wasn't paying attention to really anything around him. His mind was a blank, as if his mind was so filled with horror at everything that happened, that it just went into a blank slate in an attempt to protect Rudy from the dizzying thoughts. It wasn't working all that well.

Suddenly, he felt a warm around him. He felt himself being pressed against something solid, something heated. His mind took a while to react to what was going on. He thought he felt warm tears hit his shoulder. Yet he didn't turn his head, not right away. He just sort of laid there, motionless, unresponsive.

That is, until he heard a familiar voice.

"Rudy..I'm so glad you're okay..."

Rudy blinked his eyes a few times. He managed to turn his head. He looked up slightly, just barely enough to see the facial features of his mother. He realized that she had wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a tight hug. He didn't take the time to think of just how she had found him and he relaxed in her arms, pressing his head against the side of her arm. Soon his father came over, looking down at him sympathetically. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Mrs. Sanchez hug her daughter tightly and look horrified by Snap's condition.

Rudy's body began to tremble harder. Tears flowed down his face. The realization of almost losing Snap, the zoner's horrible condition, what Terry and Vinnie tried to do, his action that led them to having an accident, it all added up in his mind, bearing down on him in a ruthless, uncomfortable fashion. The world around him appeared to crack, and despair began to take a hold of him. Unable to control himself, he broke down sobbing.


	14. So Far Yet So Close

"It's all my fault...all my fault.."

Penny felt her heart tighten as she looked over at where Rudy was. Her friend was buried in his mom's arms, crying against her. He had been like this for the past minute or two, and she saw no end in sight. His loud cries filled the air, breaking hear heart.

She could see the look of despair on his parents' faces. They looked at their son worriedly. They spoke softly to him, trying to soothe him and calm him down. But nothing they say would get him to relax. He just kept crying, sniffling loudly. Rudy seemed unaware of what was going on around him. He was too distraught, too filled with thoughts of shame, to really notice anyone else.

Penny looked at him sympathetically. Rudy blamed himself for what happened. Even though she and Snap tried to explain to him that it wasn't his fault, he still couldn't let go of the guilt. She wished she could help him see. She wished she could get him to understand that what happened was a total accident. He had never meant for it to happen. Terry was the one who chose to chase them down. She chose to drive unsafely. If she had been more careful, this wouldn't have happened to her. It was her fault, not Rudy's.

Despite the fact that she blamed Terry, she could understand why Rudy was upset. Like him, she didn't really want Terry, or Vinnie, to be hurt. She was just as horrified when she saw the newsvan smash against the fountain like it had. She looked solemnly in the direction the two had been taken. She hoped they would be okay.

Knowing there was nothing she could do for them, she turned her gaze away and focused on her friends. She looked sadly at Rudy again. She hoped that he would recover mentally from this and calm down. It wasn't his fault and she hoped he would begin to see that, too. But it would probably take time for him to snap out of this. She would give him the space he needed to work things out in his mind.

She looked over at Snap. She felt tears form in her eyes as she saw just how bad his arm looked. The hole looked like it had some green stuff on it, and it was leaking pus. It was swollen and red, with bits of coagulated blood around it. She could tell it was infected. There was even a bit of an odor coming from it, and she knew that wasn't a good sign.

Neither did her mother. She watched as her mom looked Snap's arm over. She was being very gentle with him. She leveled his arm up with a light touch underneath. She used her fingers to lightly inspect the wound. Snap hissed in pain a few times, but remained still as the woman looked closely at the wound. She gently turned his arm to one side and the other as she examined the wound. She looked over at Penny, her expression plastered with horror and shock.

Penny couldn't help but give a small gulp at this. She did her best not to look fearful, though that emotion was high on her mind right now. Her heart started to speed up as she realized what her mother was certainly going to do. The thought filled her with horror. They had just gotten Snap back from Terry and Vinnie. They couldn't allow them to take Snap back to the hospital. No...she had to think of something quickly. But with her mind a swirling mess... Even if she was currently better able to control her emotions at the moment compared to Rudy, that didn't mean she was fully prepared to think of a plan to keep Snap out of the hospital.

"Penita...how...how did this happen...?" Her mother asked, her voice filled with shock and horror. Penny could only bite her lip in response and hesitate. This prompted a more worried statement from her mother. "Tell me what happened..."

Penny felt bad about not answering her mother. She wanted to say something, anything. But how was she going to explain that wound? Should she come up with some kind of lie and say it was an accident? No, that wouldn't work. Just what kind of accident would be required to get a wound like that? Should she tell her the truth, that Mr. Wilter did it to him? She would feel bad, but... Well her mom did tell her honesty was the best policy. While she didn't count ChalkZone in that, in this case... what choice did she have? She just wasn't in the right mind to think of an elaborate lie, and Mr. Wilter had already been arrested, so her telling her mom what happened wouldn't really complicate things more for her teacher. Correction, former teacher.

Penny looked back up at her mother, their eyes locking onto each other. She took in a deep breath and, in a few seconds, blurted out the answer. "Mr. Wilter..."

At this, her mom froze. Some of the color seemed to drain from her face. She looked at Penny with a wide-eyed expression, waiting to see if Penny was telling some kind of sick joke. When Penny didn't, her mom asked shakingly, "You're...kidding, right..?"

Penny shook her head. "No, mama... It's true." She looked at Snap sadly, the two exchanging solemn glances. She returned her gaze to her mother and continued, "Mr. Wilter...hurt him."

Her mother took in a sharp gasp, placing her hand against her mouth. Penny felt her heart twist. She never seen her mom look so horrified and shocked before. She couldn't blame her. Mr. Wilter had never seemed like the kind of person to do such a thing. Her mom had interacted with him before and she had always thought he was a pretty decent guy. At worse, a little strict, but not a bad person by any means. Now that view she had of him was shattered in a horrific way. Now she knew, they all knew, he wasn't as innocent as he had seemed.

Understandably, her mother narrowed her eyes, signs of anger rising up inside of her. Her mother turned her head in a random direction, gritting her teeth. "Mark my words, he'll..."

"Don't worry about it." Penny cut her off. "He was arrested earlier today. He won't hurt anyone again."

Her mother nodded her head. "Well that's good." She looked down at Snap. "He needs to go to the hospital and..."

"No!" Penny cried. When her mother looked at her in confusion and shock, Penny quickly corrected herself the best she could in her shaken state. "I mean, there's a special hospital he needs to go to and his parents know the way and..."

"...and where are his parents? I don't see them anywhere." Her mom looked from side to side. "Did they tell you where they're going to be? Maybe I can..."

Suddenly, her mom stopped. Her mouth hung open partially, her eyes glued on something Penny could not see. The young girl looked at her mom in confusion, wondering what was going on. Snap looked puzzled as well. He looked at the woman, turning his head as if to try to meet the same path she was using to look in. Judging from his expression, he either didn't find out, or he did and it was just causing further confusion.

Before Penny could say a word, her mother took a few steps towards her. She reached out with her hand. Penny cringed slightly, confused by what her mom was trying to do. She soon felt her mom's hand on her head, her fingers running through her hair. Her mom ran her hand along the back and sides of her head a few times, slowly, deliberately. She concentrated on a couple particularly sensitive areas. Penny let out a soft whimper as her mom's fingers worked those areas.

Pulling her hand back, her mom looked down at her with a look of horror. "Penita... did..did you get a head injury..?"

Penny froze at this, staring at her mother in shock. How had she deduced that she was hit in the head? Was it really that noticeable? Without thinking, Penny lifted up a hand ran it along the back and side of her head where she was struck. She winced noticeably as she touched these areas, feeling how raised they were. Her mother reacted to her expression and she felt her mom's hands on her shoulders.

Penny looked into her mother's worried eyes. She wanted to say something that would calm her down. Something that would assure that they would all go home after this. They needed to at least drop Snap off in ChalkZone and have a zoner escort him to the hospital. He couldn't be brought back to a real world one; that would end in disaster.

But before she could think of a reply, her mother spoke. "We need to get you to a hospital as well."

"But mama..." Penny protested.

Her mom shook her head. "No buts. We can't afford to let this go unchecked. You might have gotten more hurt than it looks."

"Mom..please..." Penny tried to get a word in edgewise, but her mom refused to listen. From her expression, Penny knew her mom was too horrified by her condition to pay attention to what she was saying. Her being a vet only amplified her worry; Penny painfully recalled how some of her animal clients had bad head injuries.

Her mom gripped her by the arm and tugged her forward. "Come along." She looked down at Snap. She seized him by his good arm. She looked at them both sternly, but her expression also held worry and care for them both. "You need to be checked out, Penny. And you..." She looked down at Snap. "..that arm of yours needs to be mended."

"B-B-But what about..." Snap choked out weakly. He shuddered in pain. "..m-my parents...?"

"I'll call them and inform them of where you are." The woman said. "Just give me their number and I'll call them."

Snap looked up at her, wide-eyed. "I..."

Penny watched as her mother gave a confused look at her friend. "You...don't know your own house number...?"

Before Penny's mom could inquire more about this, they heard a scream behind them. At this, they all looked over to see what it was. Some of the bystanders had noticed something. Penny could see the shocked looks on their faces. Some even had their hands to their mouths. Penny was confused by this. What had startled them so much? Nothing had happened after Terry and Vinnie were taken to the hospital. What could..?

That was when she saw it. She had to turn her head to see it, but when she did, she noticed it almost right away. The sight of it horrified her, made her body stiffen up. She couldn't believe what she saw. How could she not have noticed? How did anyone else not notice until now? The paramedics were here, and they didn't do anything. Then again, they were focused on getting Terry and Vinnie out. They probably weren't paying much attention to anything else around them.

Horror gripped Penny's heart as she stared, wide-eyed, at her friend Rudy. They had thought they got away from the chase, unscathed. But that turned out to be incorrect. Rudy had been struck by something. She wasn't sure what it was, except that it was sharp.

Along Rudy's back, horizontal around the middle, was a gash. Penny realized that the intensity of what transpired, and the shock of seeing a car crash into the fountain, must have been the reason this wound was not noticed until now. It looked quite deep and she winced as she watched the blood flow down his back and along his legs. It didn't seem to be bleeding as much as it could have been, but the pain was definitely noticeable. Rudy's expression gave that away.

"Rudy..." Mrs. Tabootie said. She lifted her hand away from her son and looked at it. Everyone was horrified by the blood stains on it. She looked at Rudy, her lower lip quivering. "How did...?"

"I'm fine, mom..." Rudy lied, clenching his teeth tightly, seething through it. "It's just a little cut..."

"You're not fine, young man." Mr. Tabootie grabbed onto Rudy's arm as the boy stumbled a little. This worried Penny. Had he lost more blood than she thought? "You need to go to the hospital, too." He lifted his head and turned his attention to Penny's mother. "Do you think all of us will fit in your car?"

Her mom said, "It will be a tight fit. But it should work. Come along!" She waved her hand, gesturing to them to follow. As they came, she looked down at Penny and Snap. "Let's get going you two."

"But..."

It was no use. Penny couldn't stop her mother from carefully pulling her and Snap with her, heading towards her vehicle. She tried to block out the comments from the people around them. She tried to ignore their expressions and worried and shocked whispers. At the moment, her mind was swirling with startled, confusing thoughts. They couldn't go to the hospital...not yet. Snap would... She bit her lip, fighting back the tears. But she wouldn't give up. Maybe, on the way there, she or Rudy or Snap would think of something to get him back into ChalkZone. Somehow.

sss

Mr. Wilter laid on his back on the somewhat stiff and slightly uncomfortable bed. His eyes were glued to the ceiling. He rested his hands against his chest, his arms bent with his elbows facing downwards to the side. He took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

How long had he been here? It felt forever. But he knew the truth. It had only been maybe a couple hours. He had been lost in his thoughts. His awareness of his surroundings became muddled and he hardly paid attention to them. Even the taunts from the other inmates had faded away as he grew more and more used to them. At first, they terrified him, but now it was nothing more than background music for him.

He could still hear the occasional taunt. Some of the inmates wanted to get at him. They never specified just what they were going to do, but he knew it wasn't pleasant. It made him glad at the officers had gotten him his own cell. But it wasn't from the bottom of their hearts. No, they were probably worried he would do to the other inmates as he did to Snap. They were treating him like a high level criminal. Perhaps that was what was attracting some of these criminals to him. Maybe they were attracted to danger. At least some of them. A few of them, he knew were just angry he had harmed a child. There were some targets frowned upon, and children were one of them.

However, their angry shouts at him were overwhelmed by the jeers from other inmates who wanted more...quality time with him. He shuddered at the thought, and managed to push it away. He made sure his thoughts shifted and remained focused on what really mattered. Whatever happened to him wasn't important. He was more interested to know if Snap had been rescued or not.

He wasn't even sure if he'd ever find out. One of the only ways he could find out was if it was on the news. This police station did play the news during the lunch hour. He felt his stomach fill with bile at the thought. If it were on the news, he was worried that the news wouldn't be good. What if they find out Snap was made of chalk? It would be all over the news, and it would ultimately be his fault. He was the one who kidnapped Snap. He was the one who resulted in all of this happening.

Of course, there was another way. Maybe Rudy or Penny could inform him and... Oh who was he kidding? Why would they come to him for anything? He wasn't their teacher anymore. He was certain that word spread to the school by now. Principal Stringent would have known by now what he had done. There was no way she would allow a criminal to work in the school. She probably filed his dismissal and mailed his pink slip by now. No doubt she was looking for another teacher to take his place. And Rudy and Penny.. would they even speak to him again? He was their teacher. They should have been able to trust him. And he went and...

Oh he had been such an idiot... Why did he kidnap Snap? Why did he lock him up in his house? Why did he put that metal ring through his arm? Why didn't he just let him go?

Mr. Wilter gritted his teeth, shutting his eyes. His body tensed up as he felt the horrible feeling of guilt wash through him. After a few seconds, he forcibly exhaled, and his body relaxed. He shouldn't get himself worked up over this. He made his mistake and there was nothing he could do about it. At least he was able to do something nice for Snap before he was taken.

Rudy and Penny were smart kids. They would figure out a way to help their friend. Yeah, Snap was going to be fine. He hoped that Snap comes to understand how sorry he was for hurting him. He hoped he would get a chance to properly apologize to him.

"Come on, sugar! Don't you want to have some fun?" A jeering high-pitched voice said.

Mr. Wilter turned his head and stared almost blankly towards one of the cells nearby. The metal bars made it hard to see the person who spoke, but he was able to make out enough details to recognize it as one of the woman criminals. She was medium height and looked pretty muscular for a woman. She looked like she would twist out his eyeballs if she weren't blocked by the cell bars. He merely raised his lip at her, showing no signs of fear towards her. But that didn't mean he wasn't afraid of her.

She wasn't the one who made that creepy comment before, but she wasn't much better. The comments she made had more to do with wanting to eat him. He also took notice how she, like him, was in her own cell. He overheard some comments from the inmates that she was an alleged cannibal. He guessed she wasn't convicted for that. Perhaps she hid her behavior well. But her comments she made to him were enough to convince him that she would eat him. Literally.

"You look...tasty." The vile woman slurped her tongue over her lips. "Maybe I should try some. Why don't you ask to bunk with me, big daddy? I won't bite you..." She tilted her head to the side, her bright green eyes gleaming at him. "..much."

Mr. Wilter simply narrowed his eyes and turned away. As uncomfortable as the comment was, he had quickly learned that it was best to keep quiet and take these sort of comments. Otherwise, they just get worse. The last thing he wanted to do was motivate these criminals into hurting him during the lunch hour. It wasn't like the officers here were going to stop a fight. They don't really care about the well being of the criminals, especially those who crossed the line, such as he did when he hurt Snap.

He returned his gaze to the ceiling. Not a pretty ceiling. Filled with grease marks, scratch marks, and he swore some blood marks. But it was more appealing to look at the rest of this filthy place. He almost looked forward to the trial. At least he'd get a break from this place for a time.

Slowly, he began to close his eyes. He wasn't particularly tired. But he wanted some vacation away from the taunts of the other criminals. Plus, perhaps a short nap would help him clear his thoughts more. He had heard that, sometimes, dreams can offer solutions to everyday life. He never really bought that sort of dream interpreation stuff before, but eh, what could it hurt?

Before he could rest for long, he heard the clang of a door opening. It was a good distance away, but it was loud enough to not only get his attention, but force the other criminals to shut up. Mr. Wilter turned his head towards his cell door. He listened carefully as the heavy footsteps came closer. There was more than one person. He could hear the pitter patter of multiple sets of feet. Mr. Wilter, his mind filling with dread as they continued getting closer, watched carefully, looking for any physical sign of them.

Then he saw the shadows. They were distorted on the wall, but a couple of them were uncomfortably large. He gulped as the shadows got closer. Soon the people came into full view. Mr. Wilter tried his best, but he was unable to stop himself from shaking in fear at the sight of them.

In front of his cell were three people. Two hulking shapes, with thick muscles, and with glares that told him they wanted to seriously hurt him. The third one wasn't nearly as powerful-looking, but they looked really intelligent, and his aura was practically bursting with confidence. It seemed as if this person just needed to snap his finger and the two guys would beat him up.

For a few moments, they just stood there, looking at him. Mr. Wilter continued to shiver, wondering why they hadn't made a move yet. Why weren't they trying to speak to him, or open his cell door? What did they want? He couldn't even tell if they worked here or not. They didn't wear the usual outfit. But with the way the criminals had silenced in their presence... Something told Wilter that he should submit to whatever they asked. If the other criminals were afraid of them...

... Yeah it was best not to get on their bad side.

"What...what do you want...?" Wilter winced as he noticed how shaky his voice sounded. He stared at the three men, noting their scowls. He gulped nervously. Had he spoken when he should not have?

The man in the front folded his arms against his chest. "Are you Horace Wilter?" Wilter remained silent, taking in shaky breaths. The man apparently didn't like this delay of an answer. He spoke again, his voice louder and more gruff. "I repeat. Are you Horce Wilter?!" The man raised his voice a little as he asked..no..demanded the question.

Mr. Wilter nodded his head shakingly. "Y-Yes...I am... What di..."

"Close your mouth. I am not here to talk with you." The man looked up at his two hulking comrades. He gave a curt nod of the head. The men walked towards the cell as the men met Wilter's gaze again. "We have some business with you."

"What..?" Mr. Wilter whispered softly. Seeing the man's glare, he dared not say anything more.

The two large men unlocked the cell door and opened it. Mr. Wilter took that as either them working here, or they did something to the guards. He didn't know which was scarier. As they approached, he could feel his heart beating faster. What did they want with him? Who were these people? He had never felt so terrified in his life. Even the jeering taunts from before paled in comparison to having two muscular guys approach him with less than pleasant expressions, both of which could probably break his limbs like toothpicks.

The two men grabbed Mr. Wilter by his arms. He yelped in pain as the men roughly lifted him up off the ground. He was dragged out of the cell. It was slammed shut by the smaller man, who then made a hand motion down the hallway. In seconds, the two men took him down. As they walked by, Mr. Wilter again looked at the criminals, and was stunned to see that they all had either fearful or almost sympathetic expressions. This...was definitely not a good sign.

"Wh-Where are you taking me...?" Mr. Wilter managed to choke out, his body shaking harder.

The smaller man leading them in front stopped, as did the larger men holding him. He remained there, his body still and quiet. The longer he didn't say anything, the more cold fear grew inside Mr. Wilter's body.

Soon, the man turned his head over his shoulder, giving him a backwards glance, a single eye piercing through his soul. "Our boss wants a word with you."

"What..?"

"Alone."

Mr. Wilter's eyes widened at that. He tried to say something else, but he was cut off as the man waved his arm dismissively.

"You'll find out more when we get there." The man snapped his finger. "Now come along."

Mr. Wilter grunted as the two large men squeezed his arms more tightly and resumed dragging him through the hallway. Mr. Wilter tripped over his feet as he tried to keep up with the pace they were going at. He looked on in fear as they approached the door at the end of the hallway. It was opened, and soon they exited through it. Mr. Wilter winced as he heard the clang of the door shutting behind him.

sss

"Oh my g...there's so much blood!"

"Hurry! Get them into the emergency room! Stat!"

"Someone grab a cloth! We need to stop the bleeding!"

"How the fuck did this happen?!"

"No time! Just hurry!"

Mary Bouffant winced as she listened to the cries of the doctors echoing in the hospital. She tried to ignore them, but how could she? Those doctors... They were talking about someone she knew all too well. This wasn't just some random stranger they were talking about. Not someone whom she never met.

This was her daughter they were speaking of...

The woman's mind was filled with frantic thoughts, her body shaking tremendously. She couldn't believe it. She wanted to think this was some kind of bad dream, that she would wake up anytime soon. This couldn't have happened. No..not to her daughter, no... This had to be some kind of sick twisted joke...

But no...it was real. She was there... She had seen the whole thing. It was the most horrific thing she had ever seen in her life. She had never witnessed a car accident before, and to see one first hand... it was terrifying. Time had felt like it slowed down as she watched her daughter's van run into the fountain. It had all happened so quickly. Before she knew it, her daughter's van was crushed, smoke was pillowing out, and the ambulance's sirens could already be heard wailing in the background.

She felt a sting in her heart as she recalled what she had been doing a few moments beforehand. She had been with a friend of hers, talking about their lives. She had been feeling somewhat ashamed of her daughter's obsessiveness with this chalk world. She didn't know how or when Terry became so focused on this fictional world. What she did know was that Terry was determined on exposing it, promising her that she would make a lot of money with Vinnie if she did so.

Needless to say, Mary couldn't help but feel disappointed. She wanted her daughter to strive to go big, and she had been doing so well. Then she ruined her reputation with that stupid chalk world story, and it had been harder for her getting a better news job than before. No one took her seriously. Her daughter was mocked across news stations, and by civilians who knew her obsession.

Mary regretted that she was one of these people. She didn't mean to. She was just so frustrated. She told her friend about how she wished her daughter would stop hunting for this imaginary world and get a reality check. She had even made a few small jokes at her daughter's expense.

Her friend suddenly stopped laughing. She pointed out behind her. Mary turned around, and she froze, standing in horror. It appeared that she was about to get her wish.

Mary replayed the scene over and over in her head. Terry looked like she was chasing down some kids... She hardly registered that at time, however, as all she was fully aware of was Terry's newsvan careening into the water fountain. The sickening cracks and screams echoed in her head. She could still hear them. Such a horrible sound... She felt a few tears form in her eyes, the memory of her daughter's accident still fresh on her mind.

And seeing her daughter crash into the fountain like that... She gritted her teeth, tears flowing down her face. She...she had never meant for something like that to happen... She didn't want her daughter to get hurt. She just wanted her daughter to understand how foolish she had been. She...she didn't want...

"I have the initial reports in."

"How are they?"

Mary lifted her head up at those voices. She looked over in the direction they came from. She could see two doctors standing not far away.

"Not good. Both sustained a lot of internal injuries. Vinnie Raton has a compound fracture, and he has some kind of rupture inside of him, due to the blood he coughed up earlier. We're also doing a cranial scan to see if he has a fracture there." The first doctor said.

"And Terry Bouffant?" The other doctor inquired.

Mary held her breath, listening intently.

"I'm afraid she's no better. Not only did she smash her head, but there's a deep gash cut along it. Most of her hair got soaked in blood and had to be cut off." The first doctor said solemnly. "She also has a deep gash in her side that has bits of metal in it. It's going to take a while to clean them out and we doubt it'll be easy."

"Never is." The second doctor said.

"Exactly. And we don't even know all their injuries yet." The first doctor sighed softly. "I have a feeling we'll find even more injuries as we start to treat those two more affectively. We can only hope that they weren't hurt more than it seemed."

Hearing the description of her daughter's injuries filled Mary's heart with sorrow and guilt. She never wanted this to happen.. No mother should have to be put through this... It just wasn't fair. What did Terry do to deserve this? Sure she was crazy but...that didn't mean she had to get hurt like this. It was like fate decided to play a cruel joke and... She shook her head, trying to fight back the tears forming in her eyes. She hoped and prayed her daughter would be okay.. Please let her be okay...

This was her fault.. She should have been more vigilant. She should have hung out with her daughter more. She should have helped her... Or at least not make fun of her. She tempted fate, and fate dealt a blow back to her. If she hadn't made that dumb wish, she would...

"How are those kids?"

Mary's thoughts were interrupted as the voices spoke up again. She leaned forward, careful not to look at the doctors directly, listening.

"They are fine. Shaken, but fine. Or so I was told. I hadn't gotten a new update in a while, so that development may change." The first doctor said. "It is strange that Terry Bouffant was intent on getting at those kids. I wonder what got into her."

"Beats me. I knew she was a lunatic, but I never thought she'd go that far..." The second doctor's voice trailed off. "It was a good thing they dodged when they did, otherwise, they would have gotten killed."

"Yes, indeed. They were very lucky." The first doctor agreed.

At this, Mary froze. She remained quiet, her mind numb at first. Soon it echoed with the memories of what happened. The children, the van, the crash, the doctors, those words... They all swirled together in her head. An ache spread through her skull as she tried to make sense of everything. Slowly, an uncomfortable sensation swelled in her stomach. A sense of realization hit her like a truck speeding off the highway.

It...it wasn't her fault. No.. She had nothing to do with the accident. She was just telling some jokes. No big deal. It wasn't like she had control of the wheel. It wasn't like she forced Terry to drive into the fountain. Her words couldn't have done that. Her only 'crime' was just trying to enjoy a nice time in the park.

It was those kids...

They were the ones who did this...

It was all making sense to her now. Those children...led by that boy... They were the ones her daughter was chasing. Her daughter was going in whatever direction they were going in. Her daughter was following them. The boy was the one who led them towards the fountain. They could have turned away faster. They could have gone a different direction. But instead, they headed towards the fountain, almost like...

...like they had done it on purpose.. Her daughter would have been fine if it weren't for those kids... If it weren't for that boy...

That boy...

A burning feeling boiled in her stomach. It spread through her body, running along her arms. It felt as though she was set on fire. More tears flowed down her face as her body was overwhelmed with intense emotion. Her body shook heavily in anger...and rage. She couldn't stop it. Her teeth clenched tightly, clattering a few times. Her hands curled into fists, and she closed her eyes.

It was that boy's fault her daughter was like this. He was the one who caused her to crash into the fountain. He was the one who led her there. He could have led her elsewhere. He would have had her drive in a different direction. But instead, he caused her to crash. It was all his fault.

Mary lifted up her head. If anyone saw her, they would be terrified and run away. She could feel intensity practically glowing from her rage and hate-filled eyes. She seethed through her clench teeth, her angered shivering continuing. As she stared out into nothingness, she made a single promise to herself.

She would make that boy pay for what he had done.

sss

Seething in pain, Rudy leaned forward on his chair. He couldn't sit back like the others were, not without aggravating his injury. He couldn't believe he didn't notice it. He didn't even remember getting hit there. Was it when they were running along that one patch of trees? Or when Terry hit some of the harder debris? He did recall some kind of thunk, but he thought he was just imagining it.

It had at least stopped bleeding now. He could feel a hardened, somewhat wet spot where the gash was. He gently touched it a few times, getting an idea of how large it is. He soon winced and removed his hand went touching it too much aggravated the wound. He wondered if anything got into the wound. With all the running he and his friends were forced to undergo, he wouldn't be the least bit surprised.

But the wound wasn't the only thing on his mind right now. The most pressing matter is that they still hadn't gotten Snap back into ChalkZone. Not only that, but here in the hospital, he was with them. His parents and Penny's mom insisted on taking Snap with. They tried to get them to drop him off somewhere else and escort him, but they wouldn't listen. Something about how they needed to get him help as soon as possible. So now his friend was stick with them in a real world hospital, where anything could hurt or even kill him.

The thought filled him with dread. While he understood that their parents were just worried about them, he wished that they had listened to them and trusted them. They wouldn't even listen to their testimony of Snap being allergic. All that added to the frustration and rose the fear inside of him of what could happen to Snap. The thought of his friend being hurt by a well-meaning person was much more terrifying for him than of someone with true malice deliberately hurting him.

Rudy turned his head towards his friend. Snap was sitting between him and Penny. Rudy's parents were on his other side, and he could see Mrs. Sanchez next to Penny. They hadn't been called up yet. His dad commented that it was stupid to make them wait to have their wounds treated, but Rudy was grateful for it. It gave them time to think of something for Snap. If they could just get him into ChalkZone...

Rudy noticed how frightened Snap looked. He had a slight shiver to him. The fear helped make him a little more alert, but the poor zoner still looked like he could fall down any second. He was warm to the touch and his movements were delayed and his walking seemed a bit off. He was horrified when Penny's mom mentioned he had a fever. The infection from his wound must have caused it. He needed proper help and he was not going to get it here. He couldn't blame Snap for being frightened as he looked left and right. There was so much danger here. So many hazards...

Penny looked just as worried. She looped an arm around her friend, holding him closely. She whispered soft words of comfort. Snap began to calm down a little, and he rested himself against her. His eyes drooped a little, but they'd never close all the way, being in too much pain to sleep. Rudy was glad that Penny was able to help him relax a little. He didn't think he was capable of doing it himself. He was so worried about what might happen, worried of trying to get out of there, that he feared anything he say would somehow make the situation worse. They needed to calm down Snap, otherwise, his panicked state would aggravate his condition.

Speaking of Penny, he was shocked when he learned she had a head injury. She mentioned none of this to him before... Well not like she had time. They had to get going. There wasn't any time. But it still came as a shock to him. He had her explain the story to him as they were on their way to the hospital. She told him about how Terry and Vinnie had stuffed Snap into a bag and Vinnie punched her in the back of her head and smashed it against the wall to knock her out. Snap filled in a bit more and told Rudy how Terry terrorized him in his room and used the wires to tie him up, including his jaws.

Rudy could feel his blood start to heat up inside of him. He couldn't believe that Terry and Vinnie had done such things to his best friends. That was despicable... Such low moves even for them. And for what? Getting into ChalkZone? The idea of his friends being used and treated like that made his body shake in rage.

But that didn't mean he had wanted them to get hurt like that. The anger turned into guilt and sorrow as he remembered how they crashed, just how torn up they were when the ambulance took them. He would never wish that upon anyone, no matter how cruel they might be. He never wanted to stoop that low. Despite all they have done to them, he hoped they would be okay. Perhaps after they healed, he could go speak to them. Maybe that was the best way to set things right and make them understand.

"Tabootie, Sanchez."

Rudy lifted up his head as he heard that voice. He looked over at the desk that was situated in front of them. It was a long wooden desk that curved forward. The person who called them appeared to be a short woman with white and grey hair. Rudy soon felt movement beside him and he looked up as his parents rose out of their seat.

His dad looked down and said, "Stay here. We'll be right back."

"Same goes for you." Mrs. Sanchez said, looking at her daughter in the eyes. "Understand?"

Penny nodded. "Yes, mom."

Rudy and Penny watched as their parents left them. They went over to the woman and stood next to each other. As they began to communicate with the old woman, Rudy guessed that they want them to fill out paper work. There were a lot of people here. It would have been hard getting paper when they first came in. His suspicion turned out to be right when he saw his dad begin to write with a pen.

With their parents out of earshot, he turned over to Penny. He gave a cautious look around them before he whispered, "Have you thought of a way to get our friend into ChalkZone?"

Penny looked at Rudy sadly and shook her head. "I'm sorry. But I can't think of anything." She looked down, meeting Snap's sad eyes. "Our parents won't let us out of their sight for long, and nothing we say will convince them that Snap shouldn't be here."

"Yeah, I know..." Rudy closed his eyes, lowering his head. "It's so frustrating... I wish they would listen..."

"But they have no reason to listen. They're too worried about us to think of anything else. We can't even provide proof that Snap can get help somewhere else. They just think that this hospital will be able to access all his records. And you know what's going to happen when they try to look up his name right...?" Penny's voice trailed off. Her eyes narrowed slightly, concern washing over it.

Rudy nodded his head a couple of times. She needn't continue for him to understand what she was going on about. Whenever Snap ended up in the real world, he pretended to be a foreign exchange student from Greenland. That disguise went well...usually. There were limitations, such as Snap had to wear his mask to keep humans from noticing his lack of ears and nose. And his gloves too. A fingerless hand would freak just about anyone out. But for short visits, it worked well.

But if some authorities tried to look up his name in Greenland... They would realize there was no person named Snap White there. They would find that no person with the last name White has a family member named Snap. Rudy gulped, ice going through his veins, as he realized what that would mean. A full on investigation, them being accused of identity fraud, and a whole slew of a mess...

Rudy knew what had to be done. "We have to get him out of this hospital. His eyes narrowed in determination.

"H-How...?" Snap said weakly. He coughed pitifully a few times, making Rudy and Penny's hearts tighten. "N-No way to..."

"Shhh..." Penny whispered, stroking the top of Snap's head. "Try not to speak. You used up too much strength already." As she caressed his head, she said, "We'll...figure out something. We promise..."

"Yeah, Snap. It'll be fine.." Rudy moved closer to his friend, hoping his closer presence would comfort him. Snap looked at them both with a 'you sure?' expression. All he and Penny could do was nod their heads, but neither could come up with a way of how they were going to do that.

Rudy's mind was invaded with multiple thoughts. Many outcomes of them failing spread through his mind, haunting him. Snap being dissolved by real world liquid in various degrees chilled him to the bone. They could very well lose their friend here. This realization caused tears to form in his eyes. No, this couldn't be it... No...

He looked all around the waiting room again. It was quite massive, with many rows of seats. But there wasn't much here he could work with. It might be big, but their parents would see them sneaking off. If not them, then one of the many other people here as well. There was no getting away from it. And even if they could get away, just where would they go? They were too far away from any art store. No feasible way of getting a chalkboard that way. There wasn't even anything here they could use. There was hardly anything here except for a tv, some magazines, a kids' play area...

He froze at that thought. The play area... Could it be...? Rudy stared off in the corner at his right side. He could see some smaller kids, about half his age, playing with some toys over there. It was then he heard a clang, a familiar type of scraping, and then something rolled on the ground. Rudy had to lean forward a little. He ignored Penny's confused calls to him as he looked at the small object. He felt a jolt through his heart when he realized what it was: a piece of chalk.

At this, Rudy sucked in a deep breath, feeling a flutter of emotion sweeping through his chest. His heart began to beat faster in excitement. Could this be it? Could he have found something? Staring intently at the kids' corner, he got up from his seat slowly and walked over. His heart pounded each second he got closer, knowing that what he would see would determine the fate of his friend. Please, let this be it... Please...

Soon he saw the play area in its entirety. It was a little larger than other play areas he's seen, with a multitude of toys and books and even some cheap old handhelds for them to play with. But he paid attention to none of that. He caught on his breath when he found what he had been hoping he would see.

There, laying on the ground, was a chalkboard. A portable one that was about the same size as the one he had used himself. Rudy tried to contain himself as raw positive emotion began to travel through his body. As he stared at it, several flashes went through his mind, and in seconds, a plan was formulated. He knew how they were going to get Snap back into ChalkZone.

But first, he needed the chalkboard. He looked down at where it was, and he could see there was a little girl using it. She looked about Sophie's age. She was doodling some kind of pretty flower. A part of Rudy wanted to sigh in relief that it wasn't some kind of vicious monster he'd have to deal with later. He bit his lip and took a few steps towards her, hunching down a little low.

"Hey there..." Rudy said softly. The other kids took notice of him, but resumed playing. The girl, however, kept her attention on him. "That is a pretty flower you drew there."

"Thanks!" The little girl beamed.

"I'm an artist, too. Maybe I draw something?" Rudy reached his hand out towards her.

The girl frowned and moved away. She shook her head. "Uh uh! Mine!"

Rudy pleaded with her. "Please...? I only want to borrow it for a short time. I'll give it back. I promise." The girl still refused. "Come on, it'll just be for a little while. I would really appreciate it if I could use this chalkboard."

"No!" The little girl snapped at him.

"Now now, Lisly..." A man said, whom he assumed was the father. "What did I tell you about sharing..?" The little girl gave a pouty face and looked away. "You need to learn to share. If you don't let this young boy use the chalkboard, I'm going to cut away your desserts for a week."

"But daddy...!" The girl cried.

"Listen to your father, honey." The woman, the mother, said, wagging her finger from side to side. "Give the nice boy the chalkboard. He said he'll give it right back." As the little girl unwillingly handed over the chalkboard, the woman looked over at him and give him an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that. She's in that stage where she thinks everything is hers."

"Thanks, and it's no problem really." Rudy couldn't stop the grin spreading across his face as he held the chalkboard. The people who looked at him must think he was crazy, but he didn't care. All that mattered right now was that he had the chalkboard. He turned and walked away.

"Wait, where are you going?" The girl's father asked.

"Oh! Uh..." Rudy looked over his shoulder, his mouth hanging open as he tried to think of an excuse. "I have some nice chalk over where I sit and I...uh... am nervous when people look at me while I draw."

The parents looked at him with narrowed, confused eyes. "Okay..." They didn't press the matter futher and they fell silent.

Rudy rushed over to where Penny and Snap were. Penny looked like she was about to say something, but she, instead, took in a sharp gasp of air as she noticed what Rudy was holding in his hands.

"Rudy...! Where did you get that?!"

"It was over there." Rudy made a gesture with his head. "Now come on, I know what we can do!"

"Y-You mean you found a way home for m-m-me...?" Snap asked, his voice tinging with hope.

Rudy nodded his head, giving his friends a big grin. "Yes, Snap. I know how we can get you home." At this, his friends smiled back. "Here is what we have to do..."

sss

Rapsheeba held onto Snap's uninjured arm gently. She allowed him to lean against her for support. She looked at him worriedly, seeing the look of shere agony in his eyes. She tried to hold back her tears, but it was impossible. They flowed down her face as her mind processed what happened.

She had been walking through ChalkZone City, going on one of her musical jogs. She hadn't really suspected anything out of the ordinary. She didn't even know Snap was gone. They might be best friends, but that didn't mean that she saw him every single day. She thought he was just busy having some fun somewhere, maybe buying her a card or going to play a game with Blocky or something.

In about the middle of her walk, she had happened upon a group of zoners. She recognized a couple of them being policemen. They were questioning a couple civilian zoners. She crept closer quietly, listening in on what was being said. She overheard them talk about something regarding Rudy. She was shocked when she learned that Rudy had set Boorat free. The criminal was caught, but that still didn't change what Rudy had done. Rapsheeba couldn't blame the zoners for being angry with him. She never suspected Rudy would do such a thing...

But there had to be a reason right? Surely Rudy wouldn't have done that if there wasn't a reason behind it. Rudy wasn't the type to just randomnly let out criminals, and she knew him long enough to know that if he does something drastic like that, then something major must have happened.

It was then that she felt a twist in her stomach. Her first thought was Snap. Was something wrong with him? The fact that Rudy's strange behavior occurred on one of the days she didn't see Snap.. Well it might just be coincidence. She had gone longer without seeing him. But she couldn't help it. Something just felt off about the whole thing.

She turned out to be correct.

After she jogged for a few more minutes, or maybe it was longer, she couldn't remember, she stopped by a building and leaned against it. She panted a few times and began to drink a bottle of water. Before she could finish it, she felt the glow of a portal opening on her skin. She frozen and turned her head. The portal opened up and almost immediately, she could see Rudy stick his head through the portal.

Rapsheeba nearly dropped her bottle. She wasn't expecting to see him here. This wasn't one of his usual spots to come into ChalkZone, and the look on his face...

She attempted to ask him what was going on, about Boorat and Snap. Rudy and Penny told her they didn't have time to explain. They had to get going as soon as they could. They promised they would fill her in as soon as possible. They told her that they needed her to take Snap to the hospital. Upon hearing his name, she attempted to ask them what had happened to Snap, but she didn't get a word out as she suddenly saw Snap being helped through the portal.

The sight of him caused her to hold her breath, her teeth clenched. Snap looked absolutely awful. His face was pale. He was so weak and wobbly, nearly tripping over his own feet. He was panting heavily, as if taking a single step was too much for him. He looked so sick...

And that arm... Oh gawd that arm... She could barely turn her eyes away from it. It looked so swollen, so pussy... And it drained with a bad smelling fluid. Snap was cradling it against his chest, wary of it being touched. From his expressions, she could tell that the lightest touch would send shockwaves of pain through his body. She put her hands to her mouth and she immediately rushed over to Snap, wrapping her arms around his fevered head gently.

After Rudy and Penny left, Rapsheeba began to guide her friend to the hospital. She was grateful that Rudy and Penny were able to get a portal in this area. The hospital wasn't too far from here. As she headed down the street, she could see the hospital not far from where they were. It was in the distance, plain as day. She never thought she would be so happy to see a tall white building in her life.

"I-I-It hurts...s-so..so much..." Snap whimpered. Rapsheeba looked at him sadly as he gave a few shivers of pain. "So much..."

"It's okay, Snap my man.." Rapsheeba held onto him tighter as Snap wobbled again, almost falling down. "It's going to be all right. You'll be fine.." She did her best to provide more support for her friend. Progress was painfully slow, but at least they were near the hospital now. "We're almost there. Just try to keep this up for a little longer..."

"I..d-don't think I..." Snap coughed a few times, his body shaking harder from the pain. Suddenly, without warning, Snap let out a scream, ripping his hand away from hers and grabbing his head.

"Snap!" Rapsheeba called out in horror.

Snap wobbled from side to side. She attempted to grab him, but he would pull away from her. His eyes were wide in pain and fear. He looked left and right, having something of a wild look in his eyes. The sight of it was unbearable. Just what was wrong with him? Why was he acting like this?

She widened her eyes as she watched her friend drop down onto his knees in seconds. Snap held onto his stomach, letting out loud groans of pain. He clenched his teeth tightly, and she could see beads of sweat roll down his face. His body gave a few shark shudders, before he opened his mouth. Soon saliva began to drip from his mouth, onto the concrete floor. Knowing immediately what was going to happen, Rapsheeba dropped down onto her knees behind Snap and began to gently rub his back to comfort him through the ordeal.

The contents of Snap's stomach spewed out all over the ground. Snap hacked and gagged as the fluid fell from his mouth. As Snap vomited, Rapsheeba was horrified to see that this was mostly stomach acid, suggesting that either Snap hadn't eaten anything for who knows how long, or he had thrown up before. Or worse, both...

As soon as Snap was done throwing up, he started to cry in pain. He shut his eyes, sobs wracking through his body. Rapsheeba held onto him, ignoring the foul stench of his vomit as she tried to settle him down. She whispered words of comfort to him, hoping that he would settle down. But instead, something horrific happened that took her by surprise.

Snap suddenly collapsed on the ground, landing in the pool of vomit on the ground. Rapsheeba let out a scream of horror as she gripped her friend, shaking him gently.

"Snap? Snap wake up!" Rapsheeba called out. But Snap didn't respond. She shook him a little harder. "Snap, come on! You have to get up! We're almost there!"

But it was clear Snap wasn't getting up. She rolled him over so he would have an easier time to breathe. She looked at his face. It was etched in pain, his eyes shut and mouth partially open. His breathing was weak, shallow, and shaky. Tears flowed down her face as she looked at her friend in such a horrible state. She put her hand to her mouth, trying to control the sobs that gripped her throat. Just who had done this to her friend...?

"Snap?!"

Rapsheeba looked over and noticed a car had pulled up not far from where she was. She could see Lars jumping out from the vehicle. He rushed over towards them, an expression of shock on his furry face.

"What happened?!" Lars cried out.

"No time to explain!" Rapsheeba grabbed onto Snap. She slung his right arm over her shoulder and stood up. "Can you take us to the hospital?"

Lars nodded his head. "Sure! Come on!" He helped Rapsheeba carry Snap into the car. Once they were in, the polar bear began to drive towards the hospital.


	15. A Mother's Revenge

As the bandages were wrapped around his back, Rudy couldn't help but flinch. He had a medicine-padded cloth pressed against his skin, and it stung. Even more so with the bandages being tightened around him. He heard the telltale sign of the scissors snipping, and the cloth was cut. The doctor secured a clip to it, keeping the bandages from falling down.

The doctor took a step back and said, "Keep this cloth on for a few days to make sure the infection is taken care of." He turned to his parents. "Come back in about a week and a half to take care of his stitches." His parents nodded in response.

Rudy winced at the mention of the stitches. The gash had been a little deeper than suspected, forcing the doctor to close the wind. He could still feel the ache of the tiny holes caused by the needle. He knew he was going to be in some pain for a while. A reminder of his actions that had not only caused this, but nearly caused his friends to get run over and caused Vinnie and Terry to crash. He shuddered, trying not to think about it. He reminded himself that, at least, he was able to get his friends out of there. And Snap was safe now.

He had managed to get him back into ChalkZone by feigning to go to the bathroom. He told his parents and Mrs. Sanchez where they'd be and he and Penny headed down the hallway. He was glad that the restrooms were down the hallway more and not in the waiting area. A flawed design, but it proved to be helpful, as it would make it less likely someone was going to be beyond the door, waiting. It also would help out with another part of his plan.

After he and Penny dropped off Snap and instructed Rapsheeba to take him to the hospital, they had to come up with a lie that would throw their parents off suspicion. The fact that the hallway was largely empty and the bathrooms were around the corner so no one could see, it made it easier for Rudy and Penny to tell a short story about how Snap's parents came by and got him. They weren't going to be able to check, and they wouldn't be able to do anything to stop the supposed 'parents', especially not without a number. Rudy recalled how disappointed his parents were that Snap's mom and dad just took him away like that, but they could do nothing without information first. Rudy had a feeling that his parents might try to do dig more into this, but he would worry about that later.

Rudy felt great relief that Snap was finally at a chalk hospital. There, he could get the help that he so desperately needed. He and Penny planned on visiting him as soon as possible. Even though he wasn't sure just how badly damaged Snap really was, the one thing he could count on is that he would definitely look better after his wound was properly cleaned and taken care of.

"You must reduce your physical activity, Rudy, and only lie on your stomach." The doctor said. "Do not put pressure on your wound and don't do anything that might aggravate it. I doubt you do much heavy lifting..." The doctor gave a quick chuckle, though he quickly quieted down when he realized that Rudy's parents did not like this 'joke'. He cleared his throat. "Well, anyway, try not to stretch the wound and relax as much as you can."

"Is there any medicine we need to give him, doctor?" Rudy's mother asked, a bit of tension in her voice.

The doctor winced at her tone, and quickly answered, "Yes. I will give you a prescription for some painkillers, antiflammatories, and antibiotics. He is to take them once a day to help with the healing. He can stop taking them after his bottles run out." He flipped through the clipboard as he read through the data they had found. "After he has the stitches removed, I want him to come back in about a week to see how it has healed up."

Rudy watched as his dad took a few steps towards the doctor. He still looked pretty mad, but he could tell his dad was doing his best to keep his cool. His dad gave a curt not to the doctor and raised his arm up. The two men quicky shook hands.

"Thank you, doctor." Rudy's dad said. He did a better job at hiding his anger than his mother did. "May we leave now?"

The doctor nodded his head. "Certainly." He motioned with his hand as he guided them towards the door. As he let the family walk out, he pointed down the hallway and said, "Just go up to that desk and they will set you up for your next appointment."

"Thanks." Rudy's mom said hastily as they walked down the hallway.

Soon they reached the desk. As his parents spoke with the woman there and prepared for his next appointment at the doctor's, his mind wandered to Penny. He wondered how she was doing. He hadn't seen her since this doctor took him and his parents to the room to be checked out. From this angle and position, he couldn't see if she had gotten out or not. Far as he knew, she was going to just have x-rays done, which shouldn't take too long.

Rudy felt a pang in his stomach as he recalled that her head had been struck hard enough to knock her out. He knew that the force required to do that would be great, and though Vinnie was short, he was still an imposing fellow. He was easily stronger than his father, and had a nastier attitude. And Penny was hit in two different locations, increasing the potential for brain damage and a fractured bone. He could only hope that Penny's prognosis was much better than his.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the shuffling of someone moving past him and his parents. He could hear the panicked whispers of a woman, and the reassuring voice of another male doctor. Curious, Rudy turned his head and looked over at the woman.

He couldn't recognize who it was. The woman seemed about the same height as his mom, but as skinnier, and her hair was red, close in tone to Terry's. It even had curliness to it, although not to the same degree he saw on Terry. The woman's features kind of reminded him of Terry. He wondered... could this be...?

"How is my daughter?!"

"We're doing all we can. Terry is in the intensitve care unit. Now come with me so I can show you what we found out."

Rudy felt ice go through his veins. That was Terry's mother. She must have found out what happened to her daughter. Upon realizing he had unintentionally caused pain to a mother, he felt his stomach twist, bile rising up inside of him. He felt his body give a sharp shiver as he listened to the mother's frantic calls. Even as she disappeared down the hallway, her voice still echoed in his mind.

Guilt washed over him again, stinging him in the chest. He hadn't meant to cause Terry's mother so much mental anguish. He wished even more than Terry, as well as Vinnie, didn't have any permanent or mortal injuries. He wanted to confront Terry's mother and tell her how sorry he was. Even though it wasn't his fault, that he hadn't meant for it to happen, he..he still felt like he should do something to make it better. She deserved that much.

When he heard Terry's mother wail, as if just given some horrifying news, Rudy made up his mind. He would confront her later on and talk to her.

sss

Mr. Wilter's mind raced with many thoughts. He wasn't sure why he was brought in here. No one would tell him anything. Why was he here? What did they want with him? He looked left and run, shivering from fear and the coldness of the room. He wished someone would have told him something. Anything. Yet the only thing he knew is that some person wanted to speak to him about something. The question was what. But he had a suspicion that he was not going to find out until this person came into the room.

Mr. Wilter had been forced to sit down in an old, somewhat uncomfortable chair with a rusty leg. It wobbled easily, and he had to be cautious of when he shifted himself, otherwise he could fall down. His arm was cuffed to it so he wouldn't try to get away, despite the door being closed and locked. He could see a large mirror in front of him, and he had a feeling that it was a one way mirror. He tried not to look at it, worried that such a behavior might make them even more suspicious of him.

He had been in this chilly room for probably an hour now. He sometimes would glance at the analog clock hanging on the wall. He watched as the second hand gradually made its way around the circumference of the clock over and over again. He then took a look around him. The room was green in color and was empty save for a long, metal table in front of him with a few chairs. There was only a single light, which hung above him, providing illumination on him but not as much around him. This made him feel like he was the center of attention, which in this case, was rather uncomfortable. It made him feel...exposed.

He gritted his teeth, feeling them chatter. He wondered just how long he was going to be stuck in this room before someone came. Time felt like it slowed down, and though it was probably only an hour, it felt so much longer to him. All this waiting was make him grow even more apprehensive and nervous about the forthcoming meeting. He had to wonder if that was intentional, and if the people who brought him here wanted him to be afraid and submissive for when the boss came here to speak to him.

He nearly jolted in surprise when he heard the rattling of the doorknob being opened up. He lifted up his head as the door was pushed open. A midaged man with a receding hairline, brown with some gray strands of hair, and a dark grey uniform walked inside. He walked slowly and deliberately to Mr. Wilter. The former teacher shuddered as the man's cold gaze stared upon him, making it feel as though the man was looking into his mind and seeing all the atrocities he had committed.

"Horace Wilter yes...?" The man's voice was almost serpentine, which caught Mr. Wilter offguard. It was a voice so unfitting for a man of this stature. "Sorry to keep you waiting." There was no kindness in the voice. "It is important that I speak with you."

"What did you want me here for?" Mr. Wilter cringed when he saw the man glare at him. Realizing he may have spoken out of turn, he immediately lowered his head, showing submission to the man.

"Anyway..." The man seemed to cast aside his irritation at Mr. Wilter's uncalled for interruption and continued. "I understand you were brought to my prison on the accusations of murdering a child."

Mr. Wilter's eyes widened. So this was the man in charge here? This was the one person who controlled everything here? Now Mr. Wilter knew he would have to watch what he said here. If he made another slip up... He concentrated on listening to the boss continue his speech.

"However, it has been brought to my attention that your supposed 'victim' is in fact alive. But you do understand you must still stay here I'm sure, as the child was badly injured thanks to your actions. But since you did not kill the child, rest assured that your sentence will be lighter. However, that isn't what I came here to talk to you about."

Wilter stared at the boss in confusion.

"It has to do with two particular people. Terry Bouffant and Vinnie Raton." The boss narrowed his eyes. "Are you familiar with them by any chance?"

Terry and Vinnie? What did they have to do with this? Why was the man bringing this up. Not wanting ot keep the man waiting for long, Wilter shakingly nodded his head. "Well Terry I am yes. She spoke to me about Ch..." He quickly caught himself. "..about this chalk world babble she keeps going on about."

The boss stared at him long and hard, his cold blue eyes seeming to rip through his. "Have you had any recent contact with them...?" Mr. Wilter gulped and shook his head. "Are you sure?"

"Y-Yes..." Wilter whimpered. "Why? What do they have to do with this?"

The boss sat down in the chair quickly, enough that his weight thudding down was quite noticeable. He scooted forward, causing Wilter to wince at the scraping sound caused by the chair. "We have bene informed that they had attempted to kidnap your victim and a girl named Penny Sanchez." At Wilter's reaction, the man's eyes narrowed further. "I take it you know the girl?"

"She's my.." Mr. Wilter corrected himself. "She was my student."

"I see..." The boss placed his hands on the table, interlocking his fingers. "Well, Horace... Here's my question." He leaned forward slightly. "Did you conspire with them to have those two kidnapped?"

Mr. Wilter snapped his head back in shock. "What?! No, of course not!"

The boss's glare hardened. "If you're lying to me..."

"I swear, I'm not lying! I would never do such a thing! I-I didn't even know that they..." Mr. Wilter's voice trailed off, his body shaking from shock. He couldn't believe that Terry and Vinnie had done that. He never would have suspected such an action from them.

The boss snorted. He glared at the man in absolute contempt. "Why should I believe that? You were perfectly willing to kidnap and hurt this Snip kid.."

"Snap." Mr. Wilter corrected. He cringed as the boss curled his lip up in a snarl.

"Yes..Snap..." The boss continued. "Well since you were so willing to go through the trouble of taking him and then forcing something into his arm..." He tilted his head to the side slightly. "Why am I not to believe that you would not work with those two and have them secure your victim and more for when you got out?"

"That's insane!" Mr. Wilter couldn't believe what he was hearing.

The boss tilted his head the other way. "Is it? I'm sure that Penny girl thought the same thing about you when she realized what you had done to that poor child that you hurt so badly." Mr. Wilter went silent at this, his heart freezing. "So please answer my question, Wilter. Give me one good reason to believe that you're innocent in this attempted kidnapping?"

Mr. Wilter gulped, baring his teeth in nervousness. As the man stared down at him, waiting coldly for his answer, Mr. Wilter's mind raced. What was he going to do now? How was he going to convince this guy that he wasn't involved in this particular kidnapping? What would it take to convince him that he never told Vinnie or Terry to retake Snap or to capture Penny? He had a feeling it was going to be tough, but if he couldn't convince him...

He could only imagine the punishment that would await him.

sss

"You stupid little brat! This is all your fucking fault!" The shrill voice called out, piercing through Rudy's heart. "How fucking dare you try to apologize!"

Rudy quivered under the harsh glare of Mary Bouffant. He shrank back, his body bending, his head lowering in an attempt to make himself appear harmless. He couldn't stop shaking and he took a few steps back, too terrified to look the woman in the eyes. He could feel tears forming in his eyes as he listened to her shriek at her, calling him obscene names and looking like she was going to beat him. He had a feeling he wouldn't have gotten a warm response from her, but this wasn't what he thought would happen.

He cringed away from her, rubbing his arm nervously. He forced himself to turn his gaze from her. It scared him too much to look into those rage-filled eyes. Waves of cold moved through his body, giving him goosebumps. He rubbed his arms tighter, trying to warm himself up. He could do little to fight back against the urge to vomit. He nearly did, and the only thing that stopped him was when the woman grabbed his shoulder and pushed him against the doorway.

"What gives you the right to barge in here while I'm trying to spend time with my daughter, you little urchin?! You have no business being here! This is all your fault!"

Rudy wanted to speak. He was too afraid to. He stared at the woman, his body shaking hard, tears flowing down his face. His breathing was quickening as he locked eyes with the woman. His lower lip quivered and he was doing his best to choke back his sobs. He felt so afraid, so terrified. He found it hard to tear his eyes away this time; he was scared that the woman was going to try to strike him down as soon as he turned his head.

He didn't mean to do it... He never wanted to hurt Terry. He just wanted her to leave him and his friends alone. He didn't want to make her crash. He never intended on doing such a thing. It was all an accident. Why couldn't this woman see this? Why couldn't Mary see just how sorry he really was for all of this? Why was she insisting on blaming him constantly, not letting him get a word in? Why must she rip apart his apology and toss it back in his face?

Seeing Mary angry like this only served to make Rudy feel worse. His stomach twisted in knots as he replayed the incident over and over in his head. He could see, in vivid detail, Terry and Vinnie crashing into the fountain. He could hear the sickening crunch, the cracks, the screeches... And the screams. He shuddered as he remembered their screams piercing through the air, silencing everyone around him. It was a terrifying sound, one that he was never going to forget. Rudy was going to live with guilt about this for a long time, with or without Mary's enraged comments.

"Do you have any idea what you did?!" Mary snarled at him. She put her face close to his, forcing his head to snap back. "Well?! Do you?!"

Rudy could only whimper and cry. He wanted to try to run away. He felt so stupid for coming over here without his mom or dad. He felt so vulnerable. He knew that, with no one in the hallway, this woman could do something pretty bad to him and no one would find out. Maybe there were cameras, but Rudy was in too much a state of shock to really think about that.

Mary's eyes narrowed into slits. "I see you need a look for yourself... Okay then, fucker..." Her voice took on a growly, dangerous edge. "..let me show you..."

Mary grabbed onto Rudy's arm, twisting it roughly. Rudy let out a yelp of pain and tried to pull back. Mary dragged him as hard as she could towards the bed where Terry was laying. She stopped about a foot in front of the bed. She looked down at Rudy and, giving a snarl of hatred at him, she grabbed him by the back of his shirt collar and lifted him up. She held him in front, close enough to let him get a nice long good look.

Rudy held his breath when he saw how bad Terry was. He could see the grisley gash in her side, which had been stitched up. He could see how infected it looked, the redness of it, even a bit of pus still coming out. There was a deep cut on her head as well. Her hair had to be shaved off. He winced when he saw how tight the stitching was there. Her face looked burned and bruised, as if it was struck by something upon moment of impact. Perhaps the airbag?

And that were only the injuries he could see. He knew the woman must be suffering some internal injuries as well. There was no way she could have went through that crash the way she had without suffering internal injuries in addition to what external wounds she had. And that head wound... could she be suffering head trauma too? The thought made his gut twist in knots. What if Vinnie was suffering the same thing...?

Rudy listened to the painful sounds of the machine. The slow heart rate... It seemed like it took forever for the heart to beat affectively. It sounded so slow... And was it just him, or did it seem to get slower? He looked over at the other machines, wincing at the numbers. He couldn't tell what they meant, but he could somehow tell they were ominous. And the way they flickered back and forth...

Rudy let out a yelp as he was yanked back, swinging partially in the air. He found his face inches away from Mary's. Those cold eyes tore right through him, her teeth clenched almost like a feral animal. He turned his head away, but his eyes remained glued to hers.

"Do you see now, you worthless little cretin?! Do you see what your actions have done to my daughter?!" Mary snarled at him.

"P-Please... I-I didn't..." Rudy squeaked, his voice high-pitched as fear swept through him. "I never m-m-meant for this to happen..."

"Can it, you little...!" Mary growled at him.

"What are you doing to our son?!"

Rudy felt a wave of relief as he turned his head and saw his father and mother rushing into the room. Their faces were plastered in a mixture of surprise and anger. Mary looked shocked by their arrival, her eyes widening. She soon narrowed them, glaring at them like they were some kind of nuisance.

"You're this brat's parents I presume?" Mary said coldly, still holding onto Rudy by the shirt collar.

"Put our son down, you bitch!" His mother shouted at her, her right hand forming into a fist.

His dad took a step forward, his eyes narrowing into slits as he glared angrily at the woman. "Release our boy, or we will contact the authorities."

Mary hissed at this. She looked down at Rudy and, reluctantly, released Rudy. She watched unsympathically as the boy ran towards his mother. Rudy pressed himself against his mom, shivering against her. Mrs. Tabootie wrapped her arms around her son gently. She whispered soft words of comfort to him as he started to cry from fear. Her fingers ran through his hair gently.

Mr. Tabootie stood in front of his family, confronting the woman. For a few seconds, he and Mary glared at each other. The level of anger in their aura was thick, so much that even from where he was cradled by his mother, Rudy could feel it.

His dad pointed a finger at the woman, pressing it against her shoulder. "What business do you have treating our son like that?! He has a back injury! How can you be so cruel?!"

Mary snarled at him. "He deserved it after what he did to my daughter!" She gestured towards the bed where Terry still lay, unconscious. "If it weren't for your snot-nosed brat, she would have been fine!"

Upon hearing Rudy let out a whimper, Mr. Tabootie gripped the woman's shoulders, leaning in close. "Now listen here, you bitch... I'm sorry that your daughter is hurt, and so is Rudy. I'm sure he feels guilty about what happened. But that doesn't give you the right to treat him this way. If you ever come near him again, I will call the police on you. Do you understand me...?"

Mary sneered, "It's your worthless excuse for a son who needs to go to jail for purposely making my daughter crash into the fountain..."

Mr. Tabootie seethed at this, his face reddening. But instead of arguing back, Rudy was glad that his father took the wiser route and stepped away from the woman. He gritted his teeth, seething through them. Mary just glared back at him, took in heavy breaths, her face glowing with absolute hatred and anger. After a few long seconds, his dad spoke again.

"Stay away from our son..."

With that, the angered parents left the room. As they did, Rudy could feel the woman's eyes boring into hers. He cuddled closer to his mother for support, still frightened and shaken after what had happened. Though his parents tried to tell him it was going to be okay, he couldn't help but feel terrified. Terry's mother had just signaled him out as the only cause of her daughter's condition. It was like she was ignoring her daughter's flaws in favor of putting all the blame on him. What would happen later on if she decided to come after him again? The thought filled him with terror.

It didn't help that the woman had one last final thing to say.

"This isn't the end, child. You haven't seen the last of me."

Rudy whimpered as his mother pulled him closer.

sss

"Oh Rudy...I'm so sorry that happened to you.." Penny whispered softly.

"I-I can't believe that she..." Rudy whimpered, shaking like a leaf. "I knew she'd be angry, but she...she looked like she wanted to k-kill me..."

"Shh...it's okay.." Penny spoke softly to him, trying her best to console him. "She won't be able to get at you.. I promise. It's going to be all right." She ran her fingers through his hair. "It's going to be fine. You'll see."

Rudy didn't seem convinced. Penny looked at him sadly as she had her arms wrapped around him. She held him close to her, snug and safe. She found it hard to watch her friend this way, yet she couldn't turn her gaze to another direction. She could only watch as her friend shivered in fright in her arms.

He had been this way for half an hour now. She and her mother had already gotten done with the x-rays. They hadn't taken a long time, and the doctors didn't find anything noticeable, although they wanted her to stay on some medication for a while for the pain. After they went to meet up with Rudy and his parents, she was shocked to see the family outside, Rudy looking like he was crying. She and her mother rushed out and asked them what was wrong. Penny remembered how horrified she was and the gasp her mother made when they told them that Rudy was practically assaulted by Terry's mother.

Penny immediately went to console Rudy while her mother spoke with Mr. and Mrs. Tabootie on what to do about Terry's mom. Penny kept herself close to Rudy, letting him lean against her for support as they sat on the bench. Rudy was so shaken up by what happened. She could understand why he broke down like this. He was already feeling guilty about Terry, and now her mom was making things worse for him.

Penny growled softly at the thought of that woman scaring Rudy like that. How dare she... But she didn't want to dwell on her right now. The more important thing to do was comfort Rudy and calm him down. She hated seeing him this way. He needed to understand that this wasn't his fault, that he never meant for this to happen.

Penny took a moment to reflect on just how rotten Rudy's luck had been lately. She felt her heart sting at the memories. With all that's happened... She couldn't blame him for being such a wreck.

It all started when he thought Snap was dead. That emotional pain he must gone through...to really think Snap was gone... It must have been horrible for him. It would have been like having a knife in the chest. Then he had called the police and told them Mr. Wilter killed someone. He found out not long after Mr. Wilter was innocent, and he had suddenly been struck by guilt that Mr. Wilter was arrested on false pretenses and Snap was sent to a real world hospital. Although they did manage to get Snap away from Terry and Vinnie, Rudy's path, in combination to Terry's recklessness, caused the pair to crash into the fountain and get badly hurt.

All that happened in the same day...

This realization hit her like a freight train. The storm that had went on earlier fit their mood. Even when it died down sometime when they were at the hospital, something about it still felt foreboding, and she was proven right when Vinnie and Terry showed up. Those two fiends began to cause more trouble for them...

But she never wanted them to get hurt... She felt bad for what happened to them. She felt her heart skip a beat when she had seen how bad off they were. And to see Rudy blame himself for that... It broke her heart.

"It wasn't your fault, Rudy. Don't blame yourself for what happened. You would never do anything like that on purpose." Penny cooed to her friend. "Don't listen to that woman. She doesn't know what she's talking about it."

"She said she'll be back..." Rudy whined, the side of his face pressed against her shoulder. "She said this wasn't the end..."

Penny hugged her friend tighter. "If she tried to get at you, don't worry. Your parents will keep you safe." She turned her head and looked over at their parents. "And our folks will make sure you're safe. That woman won't be able to get near you. I promise."

Rudy looked up at Penny and the two locked eyes for a few seconds. Slowly, his mouth ticked into a smile. A shaky, insecure and uncertain one, but a smile nonetheless. He buried his face against her upperchest, underneath her chin, and continued to cry softly. Penny rubbed his back gently, whispering soft words of comfort as Rudy slowly began to calm down.

As Rudy settled down, Penny looked up and saw her mom walking over.

"We've made the decision." Her mom said.

As Rudy looked up at the woman, Penny asked, "Yes, mama?"

"It could be that Mary Bouffant was just...upset and may have overreacted. So we won't take action for the time being." Mrs. Sanchez said. Her eyes then narrowed. "However, if that woman causes any problems for Rudy, or you Penny, tell us and we will go to the police for a restraining order. Understand?"

Holding Rudy against herself, Penny nodded her head. "Yes."

sss

Mr. Wilter laid down on his bed. He had the covers pulled over his body, but that did little to stop the shivers from going through him. He was a little curled up, hiding his face underneath the blanket. He kept his head in shadow, not wanting the other prisoners to see just how pale it was.

The meeting with the boss hadn't ended on a good note. He had tried to plea for innocence. He tried to tell him that he was not involved in the second kidnapping. But the boss was not convinced, and only seemed to grow angrier as time passed. Unable to come up with something for him to believe, Mr. Wilter knew he was in trouble. He could only sit there, his head lowered, as he listened to the boss rant at him.

Mr. Wilter was not surprised when he heard that his punishment is likely going to get more severe. What was he to expect? He may not be blamed for murder anymore since Snap was alive, but the fact that they believe he tried to kidnap Snap again, as well as take Penny with him, that was going to be problematic for him later on. He knew that, when the time came, he was going to be put on trial as the ringleader of Terry and Vinnie. He thought at first maybe those two could talk sense into them, and say they were unrelated, but there were two possible outcomes of that.

Either no one would believe Terry and Vinnie, and they would think that he was just trying to squeeze out of it by bribing those two..

...or Terry and Vinnie would seize that chance to lower their punishment by putting all responsibility and blame on him, thus alleviating them at least part of the sentence.

Either way, he knew it wasn't going to work. He would have to think of something else...but he had his doubts anything would work. If Rudy and Penny would vouch for him, that would help. Maybe they could convince the judge that he was not involved in Terry and Vinnie.

But...would they want to help him? After the trouble he had caused them, were they going to be willing to aid him in his time of need? Mr. Wilter felt his heart sink as he thought back to the terrible things he did to Snap. Rudy and Penny would have good reason not to help him. He knew that, after what he had done, those two kids might be too angry to think to help, or they might think he deserved this.

Still, he hoped to get a chance to apologize to them. He screwed up big time and he owed them an apology. Especially Snap. He had treated him like a feral animal and... he just didn't deserve that.

His trial was going to be soon. He heard the boss mention it'll be in a week. He couldn't remember if he was going to get a lawyer or not, and at the moment he didn't care. He wasn't sure if he could handle being in here for a week. He wanted to speak to those children as soon as possible... Yet he knew that wasn't going to happen. He had his doubts they would visit, and he was certain this particular part of the prison didn't allow visitors for... certain reasons... He cast a cautious eye on the other prisoners as he thought that.

Feeling too stressed out to really continue thinking on the subject, Mr. Wilter decided now was a good time to get some rest. He curled up more on the bed, the blanket laying firmly on top of him. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. As he exhaled it, his body began to relax and he started to drift off.

sss

Rudy tried to relax himself. He tried to calm himself down. He needed to settle himself down. He couldn't allow himself to get all worked up. He tried to tell himself that everything was going to be okay, that his parents would make sure nothing happened. It had been sometime since the incident and nothing happened. He was being irrational, he tried to tell himself. He needed to relax, get some rest or something.

Yet he could not. He found it hard to be up during any waking hour of the day without feeling his heart racing at thoughts of...her. Rudy was so cautious lately. He would stay with his parents or with Penny most of the time. He was so scared of what could happen, and sometimes he would have irrational thoughts. Despite Penny's attempts, as well as the others', to settle him down, he couldn't help but remain scared. It had been five days since that incident happened. Five whole days...and it was still affecting him like this, despite the fact that nothing had happened afterwards.

That woman haunted his mind... Rudy could still see her face as he slept. The angered look in her eyes, that expression that was almost murderous... He could hear her words echoing in his head. He would never forget them.

"This isn't the end, child. You haven't seen the last of me."

Mary Bouffant's threat was still fresh on his mind despite all the hours and minutes that passed without incident. There was so much anger and hate laced on those words. He didn't know what the woman was going to do, or what she was capable of. He had no idea if she was going to try to have him get arrested, or if she was going to do something so much worse. Despite his parents attempts to tell him she won't come after him, despite Penny's rationality, that woman sounded very serious, and Rudy believed he would be foolish not to take her seriously.

He was glad that he was able to, at times, set aside his fear, like when he visited Snap. He and Penny, whenever they got home from school, would go into ChalkZone and visit him. Rudy was happy that Rapsheeba was able to get him to the hospital. She led them over and into the room where he was staying at. Rudy winced as he remembered what Snap looked like when he first walked into the room.

He had multiple IVs hooked up to him, and wires. He had machines placed next to him, including a heart monitor that recorded each heart beat. They sounded so weak and far apart when he first arrived. It tore his heart apart to see his friend in such a fragile state. And that arm... It was stitched up, but it wasn't bandaged yet as they wanted the hole to close a little first. He wasn't sure if that was the best route to go, but he was confident that they were doing what they could to help him.

On day two, when more results had come in, the doctors informed him and Penny that Snap suffered a massive infection from germs from his cloth, and that had been aggravated by not eating or drinking anything in nearly twenty-four hours. They had already put him on fluids to rehydrate their friend. The doctor didn't want him to eat any solid foods until he had regained some more of his strength.

The doctor also told them that the germs that caused the swelling and pus in his arms had traveled through his body. They attacked his stomach, which caused him to throw up a few times, which only made his dehydration worse. It also got into his ear drums and head, causing powerful headaches and bouts of dizziness. Rudy and Penny were horrified by the condition of their friend, and it was hard to hold their tears back.

The doctor did say that his prognosis looks good despite all the dangers. He strongly believed that Snap would begin to recover soon. He would need to remain in the hospital for a while, and he may be on powerful antibiotics for a while until the infections clear up. But the doctor believes that Snap should respond well, and after the infections are gone, he should be clear out of the danger zone.

But there was something that bothered the doctors. It was the damage done to his arm. There was a lot of muscle and tendons possibley damaged from having the cuff in here. They would need to run more tests and x-rays and MRIs to see just what had been done. There was concern that he would lose some feeling and movement in his arm, particularly the hand.

The thought horrified Rudy. Even though it was not yet set in stone, that the results hadn't been brought back, the idea of Snap being permanently damaged because of what Wilter did filled him with ice. Snap didn't deserve this... He hoped it wasn't true. Please... The damage can't be permanent, please...no...

But Rudy knew only time would tell. And each day he visited, Snap grew stronger, and looked less and less sick. It was very gradual, though, and he knew it would be a while before Snap could jump out of the bed and do a dance for him. Though it annoyed Snap, he understood that he had to stay in the bed. He didn't let it bother him too much, though. He was just happy that Rudy and Penny could visit him. Seeing them seemed to brighten up his day and he always seemed to look a little better the moment they would arrive.

Rudy kept asking about his arm, but despite the results, the doctors weren't one hundred percent certain if there would be any permanent damage. At the moment, Snap didn't have as much feeling in it and he found his hand a little hard to move, but the doctors said this could improve in time as he healed. Rudy and Penny hoped it would. They would be devastated if Snap had to live the rest of his life with a damaged arm. He...he didn't do anything to deserve it.

Rudy glanced over at the chalkboard. He remembered that he promised to visit Snap later today. It was around four o'clock now. He told his parents he was going to walk over to Penny's sometime after school. The current teacher, who was substituting until they got someone to fully replace Mr. Wilter, had given an assignment on researching...something. Oh great, he forgot. Oh well, Penny would remember. He had to get over there, because after the homework, they were going to go into ChalkZone to visit Snap.

Rudy got up and walked towards his closet. Leaning against it was his backpack. He grabbed it and unzipped it. Peering inside, he looked around to make sure he still had a piece of magic chalk in there just in case. Satisfied, he flipped the bag up and looped it on his back. He took one last look at the chalkboard before he opened up the door to his room and headed down the stairs.

"Mom! Dad! I'm going to Penny's!" He shouted as he paused in front of the kitchen.

His mother looked up from doing the dishes and waved at him. "Okay, have a good time, dear!"

He could hear his father speaking as his face was blocked by the newspaper. "We'll see you later!" He paused for a moment, and lowered the paper. "Wait, do you need us to pick you up from Penny's later? Or are you good?"

Rudy thought for a moment. "Nah." He waved his hand in front of him, turning his head to one side. "I'll be fine." He raised his hands and shoulders up. "I could use the exercise anyway. It'll help clear my mind." He pressed a finger against his skull as he said this.

"Okay then." His mother said. She gave another wave of the hand. "See you later!"

Rudy reached for the door knob and began to turn it. He stopped when he heard footsteps from the outside. He froze, wondering what that was. It sounded pretty close. But when nothing happened, he simply shrugged it off. Eh, he was probably just hearing things. Rudy grabbed the knob again and this time, turned it all the way around. He pushed it open and started to walk out...

...only to hit against something warm and solid. Rudy grunted and took a few steps back. He rubbed his head before looking up at who he had run into. His eyes widened when he saw it was a cop. Two of them, actually, and both were staring at him somewhat coldly.

"Uhh.. may I help you...?" Rudy asked as he took a couple steps back. "D-Do you need to t-talk to my parents about something...?"

The first cop stared at Rudy, remaining quiet for a few seconds. "Are you Rudy Tabootie?"

"Y-Yes..." Rudy choked out after a bit of hesitation. "Wh-Why...?"

Before the cops could answer his question, Rudy could hear footsteps coming his way. He looked over his shoulder and could see his parents rushing towards him. Their eyes were wide in shock, and they opened up further at the sight of the cops.

"What's this about, officers?" Mr. Tabootie asked.

"Why are you here?" Mrs. Tabootie inquired.

"Sir and ma'am, we're afraid we have to place your son under arrest." The second cop said.

Rudy and his parents gasped in horror at this. These cops have come to do what? Rudy could feel his heart pounding against his chest. He backed up against his parents, who placed comforting hands on his shoulders. They remained quiet for several moments, their minds racing, trying to piece together just what was going on here. Just..how was this happening...?

"On what charges?" He heard his mom cry. "Our boy didn't do anything wrong!"

"Heh. That's not what she says." The second cop said before jabbing a thumb behind his back.

Rudy and his parents looked in the direction the thumb was pointed in. They were horrified when they saw a familiar figure leaning against the cop's car. It was Terry's mother. Her arms were folded against her chest, and she gave Rudy a smug look of satisfaction. She moved away from the car, taking a couple steps forward. She kept her gaze on the boy, her eyes boring through his, making it hard for him to look away. Rudy felt his breathing increase as the woman got a little closer, and soon she stopped several feet away.

Her arms still folded against her chest, she said, "I told you it wasn't over, little boy."

Mr. Tabootie gritted his teeth. "You..." He took a step forward, but a wave of a cop's arm prompted him to stop.

"Don't interfere, or we'll take you two in as well." The first cop threatened. He then looked down at Rudy. "Turn around, kid."

Rudy let out a whimper, but having no choice, he complied. He turned around and put his arms behind his back. He looked up at his parents, sharing a look of sorrow with them. He winced as he felt the cold cuffs looping around his wrists, securing them there. He was then spun around and started being dragged away towards the awaiting police car.

Rudy looked over his shoulders, back towards his parents. They held expressions of horror, looks of disbelief washing over their faces. He wished that they could help him. He wished they could do something. But they were helpless to do anything. They could only watch, scared, as their son was dragged away into the car. As they reached the car, and the door opened up, as the officers began to push him inside, Rudy looked over at Mary one more time.

Mary watched the whole thing with a look of sick satisfaction. "Time to pay your dues, Tabootie.." She whispered harshly.

Rudy grunted as he was forced into the passenger's seat. The door shut beside him and he heard it lock. He used his legs to push himself up. He forced his body around and he looked out the window. He watched his parents the whole time as the car began to drive downward. He kept looking at them for however long he could. Soon his parents disappeared from his field of view, as did Mary, and he turned himself around and stared at the ground beneath him, watching as he shuffled his feet nervously.

He couldn't believe this was happening... Mary just had him arrested. Was this why she didn't do anything in a while? Was she digging up dirt on him to convince the cops to arrest him? He may have suspected her wanting him arrested, but to actually go through and do it... It left him shocked and horrified and disgusted. He could only hope that a miracle would happen and he could get out of this mess. Somehow. Someway.


	16. Shocking And Unreasonable Sentence

"Listen, kid. The sooner you tell us what really happened, the sooner we will let you go."

"Don't make this harder than it already has to be. We just want some answers."

Rudy leaned forward on the table, slapping his palms against the hard surface. "But I have told you what happened! Terry Bouffant was chasing us! We never meant to go towards that statue! We..."

"You mean water fountain." The first cop corrected.

"Oh..yeah. Water fountain." Rudy felt a bit embarrassed that he had mixed up that little detail. How could he forget the rushing water that went into the newsvan? "Anyway, we never meant to go that way."

"Uh huh..." The second cop said, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. Rudy gulped, wondering if his little mix up seconds ago had cost him some trust from these cops. "And you are certain it wasn't a deliberate act? You didn't do anything to make her chase you?"

Rudy nodded his head. "She has always been a little crazy. I'm not sure what got into her."

The two cops looked at each other. They occassionally would shoot a glance at him, and he shuddered as he saw their expressions. It was clear they didn't fully believe him, and it made him wonder just what Mary Bouffant had said to make them act this way and treat it as though it wasn't an accident. They leaned towards each other, whispering a few comments. He cringed as their eyes looked down at him as they spoke, making it very clear just who they were talking about. Rudy wasn't sure if he was relieved or terrified that he couldn't hear what they were saying about him.

Rudy waited in silence as the two cops spoke. He waited for them to say something else to him, to ask another question, to interrogate him further. He felt his heart begin to clench in anticipation, and he couldn't help but wonder just what these cops were going to do to him. He hoped that his parents would be able to help get him out of here. He was certain they were on their way to the station now to clear up this whole mess.

In the meantime, he was stuck here, trying to prove his innocense. He may have blamed himself for what happened, but he did know that Penny was right. It wasn't really his fault, and even if it was, he never meant for it to happen. He hadn't done it on purpose, no matter what Mary had said. But could he prove this to the officers?

The first cop began to speak again. Rudy kept his attention on him, not wanting to do anything else that would make them more suspicious than they already were. "I know you might think we're overreacting in arresting you. After all, you're only ten. And ten year olds can't commit crimes...or can they...?" The cop tilted his head to one side. "What do you think, kiddo?"

Rudy felt a cold sensation grow from the pit of his stomach. He moved himself back, his eyes darting from one side to the other. "I..."

"I'm sure you're aware of all the heinous things kids about your age have done. Even younger." The first cop continued. He leaned closer, his narrowed eyes practically piercing Rudy's mind, probing it. "You may have heard stories of kids who stabbed other kids, who set things on fire, make those smaller than them get run over... Yeah I'm aware of this. Sociopathic kids, who are unsafe for society."

"And you, Rudy Tabootie, may just fit some of sociopathic behavior." The second cop said. Rudy looked up at him in shock, mouth agape. "Terry's mother was kind enough to provide some details... and we did also happen to speak to some classmates of yours and found out some...quite interesting stuff."

"Would you like to hear?" The first cop asked.

Rudy shivered at this. He wasn't sure what they were talking about. Him, a sociopath? How could they believe that? He never did anything like that before in his life. Anyone who knew him knows he is a nice kid who liked to help out others. What had he done to make anyone believe he was a menace to society? He couldn't stop the cold feeling from sweeping through his chest. A rather painful feeling that he couldn't make go away, and it left him feeling nauseaus.

He wished he could just get up and walk away. He wished he was brave enough to talk back at them, and tell them just how wrong they were. But he knew that would solve nothing, and would just land him in further hot water. He bit his lip, the man's question hovering over his head. Did he really want to know? Yet...there was a part of him that was at the very least morbidly curious...

Gulping nervously, probably louder than he had intended, Rudy leaned his head back and nodded his head shakingly. "Yes..." His voice matched his quick, uneven movements.

"Very well then..." The first cop said. "My partner here will read off a least." He moved a hand in the man's direction. "You may proceed."

The second cop pulled out a piece of paper in front of him in an almost dramatic manner. He cleared his throat, swallowed, and he began to read the list."

"You keep to yourself most of the time. You only ever truly interact with one other person, the same girl you were with when Terry was chasing you, as you say. Oh there might be a few other people, but the point is, you're a loner. You wrote a poison pen letter to someone all over a petty little reason. You blackmailed another kid into doing something you want. You..."

Rudy's mind went numb as he listened to the list the man was reading off to him. Each of them had been based on something he did, although the man twisted the words to make it sound worse than it really was. Rudy wasn't sure if it was because this man really thought he was guilty, or if Mary had a role in this whole thing. Either way, Rudy could feel terror rising up as the man continued to speak.

He tried to block it out, but found it impossible. He couldn't just ignore what the man was saying to him. He could remember all those things. The blackmail, the poison pen letter, and it was true that Penny was the only person he regularly spoke to at school. But...but it wasn't because he hated everyone else or was trying to be mean. That's..just how it was. He wasn't upset about it or anything, and it wasn't like his school life was made rough because of it. He knew those actions didn't make him a sociopath and he felt the cops were really grasping at straws when they accused him of this.

Yet, despite the urge to tell them how wrong they were, he kept quiet. He was afraid that if he said the wrong thing, he would just make the situation worse. He was certain that Mary Bouffant was the one who made them act this way. She must have said something to them to make them look at these behaviors and twist them to make them sound more sociopathic than they really were. The thought of that woman manipulating the police just to get him in trouble filled him with anger. But it also terrified him. What else had she done...?

"Need I go on?" The second cop's voice cut through the air, pulling Rudy out of his trance.

Rudy hesitated for a moment. "Uh..no." He shook his head. "Th-That was fine..."

"Okay then..." The second cop put the list away. He then stared at Rudy intently, studying him for a few moments. Rudy kept quiet, averting his eyes as the man seemed to study into his very soul. He dared not to move. "Are you still going to sit there and tell us that you wouldn't do such a thing? Because from what we heard..this isn't really so true, now is it?"

Rudy looked back at the man, his eyes widened. "I would never..."

The first cop cut him off. "Did you do those things?"

Rudy bit his lip. He looked left and right. "Well yeah..kind of..I-I mean..." He stumbled over his own words. The two men narrowed their eyes further at this. "They're exaggerating and..."

"Well if you did do those things...why should we believe you when you say you're innocent?" The second cop cut him off.

The first cop pointed at him. "I suggest you begin speaking the truth, young man. We'll have you know that we don't take kindly to people like you. So don't think we'll show mercy on you just because you're a kid." He folded his arms against his chest. "To us, you're a criminal. And that's all that matters. Now..talk..."

Rudy's mind traced as he tried to think of what to say. How was he going to convince them that he wasn't a bad person? They were already hellbent on not believing him. It made Rudy wonder if Mary went further than just simply telling them he did something. What if these cops were connected to her, or were bribed into arresting him and then coming up with whatever excuse to keep him arrested? The thought chilled him to the bone, making him realize just how helpless he really was here.

He hoped that someone, somewhere, would be able to help him. He hoped that his parents, Penny, her mom, someone, anyone, would be able to clear his name and get these cops, and Mary Bouffant, off his back. He didn't do anything wrong. He would never deliberately hurt anyone.

He swallowed hard as he stared into the men's cold eyes. There was only one thing he could do. He had to keep pleading his innocense. He wasn't going to lie just to satisfy their accusations. He had to keep trying. Maybe he'll get lucky and they will listen.

"Please...you've got to believe me..." Rudy began to plead with him. "I did not attempt to murder Terry Bouffant."

sss

Penny hung her head low as she entered the chalk hospital alone. A solemn look was plastered over her face. Several zoners noticed her expression and they went up to her to see if anything was wrong. Penny hardly paid attention to them. Her mind was on other things, too numb and preoccupied to really pay attention to what the zoners were saying. Normally she would try to explain things, but first, she had to speak to Snap. It was important.

She went into the elevator right away and, without hesitation, pressed the button. The digital lights at the top glowed, showing the floor number. It kept going up, the elevator cart moving her towards the sky practically, until it landed on the number eight. Then it stopped completely. So suddenly, she nearly jerked forward, falling onto her face. She shook her head slightly as she got off from the elvator and headed down the hallway.

It didn't take her too long to find Snap's room. She reached for the door, preparing to knock, but then stopped herself, pulling her hand back. She looked towards the ground, frowning softly. How was she going to tell Snap of this? What was she going to say? She knew he had to know about this. It was just...trying to find the words.. it wasn't going to be easy. Then there was the risk that Snap would attempt to be a hero, despite his condition, and jump out of the hospital bed. She hoped that she wouldn't have to restrain him in case he did try that.

Despite the fear of what Snap might do, Penny had no plans on keeping this information a secret. Maybe Snap would have some ideas on what they could do. She just wanted this nightmare to be over, but it seemed like, at every turn, something else happened. She gritted her teeth at this. It just wasn't fair... Why couldn't they be allowed some peace? Why must fate be so unfair? Why?

Penny shook those thoughts out of her head. No sense in complaining about it. That would get them nowhere. Narrowing her eyes for a few seconds, she stared at the door. She reached over, her hand clenched into a fist, and she began to pound against it a couple of times. The sound reverberated through the door, making it shake very slightly. She took a step back and waited.

"Come on in." Came Snap's voice, muffled from the door.

Penny opened up the door and entered her friend's hospital room. "Hello, Snap. How are you feeling today?"

Snap was laying down on his hospital bed. He was wearing a light, semi-transparent hospital gown, his usual clothes folded up and placed in the nearby closet. The machines next to him were still hooked up, beeping away. His heart rate sounded much better than it had been before. Snap's face still looked pale for him, and the couple coughs that he made suggested he was still sick from the infection. She wasn't surprised; the doctors did say it would take a while for it to fully clear up. But he did at least look better, and that's what mattered.

Snap was partially raised up, his hospital bed's front where his head was angled upwards. Penny remembered that these bed's were adjustable. Snap usually had the bed this way almost any time except for when he needed to sleep. It was easier for him to converse with people like this, and definitely easier to eat. He had his hands placed on his lap, his elbows angled at the side, and his blanket was pulled up enough to be wrapped around his waist. He was looking directly at her, a weak smile on his face.

"I'm doing better..." Snap coughed painfully a few times, making Penny's heart twist. After he was finished, clearing his throat a bit, he said, "Thanks for asking." His throat sounded so dry. "And how are you doing? I'm glad you could be here today."

Penny smiled lightly at him. She nodded her head. "I'm..okay." She clenched her teeth tightly when she said that. She turned her head away. Why did she say that? Nothing was fine. Not today.

Snap noticed her change in demeanor. He leaned forward a little, his eyes focused intently on her. "What is it, Penny? You..don't look like you're..." He let out a cough. "...fine."

Penny looked over at her friend. She pursed her lips slightly. She knew she couldn't keep anything from him. Snap was her friend. Of course he would be able to tell when she was being uncertain. She didn't answer him right away. She had to figure out how she was going to say it. Where should she begin?

"Penny..." Snap's thoughts interrupted hers. She looked over at him again. Snap looked at her sympathetically. "You can tell me."

"I know I can, Snap. It's just that..." Penny's voice trailed off. She clenched her teeth. "I'm just not sure where to start. Something happened and..."

Snap's eyes widened at this. "Well just tell me then! Don't worry about how you're going to word it. Just..tell me...please." Snap then took a moment to look around. It was then he realized that Penny had come alone. "Where's Rudy...?" Penny could only look at him sadly and close her eyes, her head lowering. Snap's eyes grew larger. "This is about him, isn't it? Penny, what happened...?"

Penny sucked in a breath. She looked at Snap, her eyes beginning to water. This caused Snap's expression to grow increasingly worried and curious. Penny tried to collect her thoughts as a few tears strolled down her face. The memories of what had happened sweeped through her, fresh on her mind. She gave a couple shudders as she forcibly cleared her throat. Sniffling, she began her sad story.

"As you recall, Rudy and I were supposed to come visit you after we did some homework. I was waiting up in my bedroom for Rudy to come. He said he was going to be there at a specific time, so I waited. When he didn't come, I didn't think much of it. I just thought he was running a little late. But when he still didn't come, I started to think something was wrong. Still, I hung onto the hope that maybe it was nothing. There was still that chance, after all, that he was still coming, but had just been delayed or something."

Snap listened intently to Penny's story.

Penny shut her eyes. "But it got to the point where I knew something had to be up. So I headed towards the door to talk to my mom. I thought that maybe she would know something. Maybe Rudy's parents had called and told them Rudy was going to be much later than usual. So I walked down the stairs towards the living room where my mom was. When she looked at me...I saw that look in her eyes... She didn't need to speak for me to know exactly what she was going to say."

At this point, Penny's eyes filled with more fluid. She raised up her hand and wiped away her tears. Snap looked at her, his eyes shining with sympathy. He waited patiently for her to continue. As soon as Penny regained her bearings, she pressed on with recounting what had happened.

"My mom looked quite spooked. I asked her what was wrong. It was then she told me that she got a call from...Rudy's parents." Penny paused at this, clenching her teeth. She glanced sadly at Snap before continuing. "She said that...something terrible happened. I was horrified. I dreaded to know what my mom was going to say next. Many what-ifs and possibilities ran through my head. I wasn't sure I wanted to know more, but...I just had to. What choice did I have? So I asked her what happened, and that's when she told me."

Penny paused for a moment. The next bit was going to be hard to say. Rudy wasn't dead, but what happened was still quite troublesome. The outcome of this was very important. This wasn't something to be sneezed at, as she found out, and as Snap was going to learn very quickly.

"My mom...she..she said that...according to Mr. and Mrs. Tabootie... Rudy was..arr-arrested.. I couldn't believe it. I never would have thought that... I asked my mom why, and she said that it had to do with what happened to Terry. Her mother got involved..."

Snap didn't answer right away. His eyes were widened, his face paler than before. His body shivered as the reality of the situation struck down on him. He looked a little worse than he had when she came in. A part of her felt guilty for having to deliver such bad news to him. But it wasn't like she had a choice. She had to tell him. She remained quiet, allowing time for her friend to regather his thoughts before he could attempt to reply.

Snap took in quick breaths, looking left and right. He tried to speak, but at first, only mumbled words and stammers could be heard. He looked at Penny, his eyes silently asking her if what she said was true. All Penny could do was nod her head, answering his silent question. This made Snap take in a sharp breath. His fears had been confirmed.

"Bucko was arrested for what happened to Ms. Bouffant?" Snap asked. Even though he already knew the answer to that, it was clear that disbelief still hung heavily on his mind. A part of him was having a hard time registering this. "They can't possibly believe that he would ever..."

Penny lowered her head as Snap's voice melted away into low whispers of disbelief. "It's hard for me to grasp, too. I thought my mom was joking at first, but when we went to see Rudy's parents..it only confirmed our worst fears." She lifted her head up, locking eyes onto Snap. "They told us that Mary Bouffant, Terry's mother, must have orchestrated the whole thing. She had been there when Rudy was arrested."

"What's that woman's deal?" Snap asked. "I thought she..."

"She didn't give up, apparently. She was serious when she said she blamed Rudy for what happened to her daughter. She wanted to make him pay for it, so she had him arrested. My mom thinks that the cops were bribed or manipulated, and they would perhaps look at anything and everything to keep Rudy arrested." Penny felt anger boiling in her stomach at the thought of Rudy being made to suffer all because of that vile woman. "I wouldn't be surprised if at least one of those cops is related to Mary, like a brother or even a husband. That would make them more 'malleable' in her eyes."

"This..this is awful..." Snap took in a few more breaths, his eyes facing downward. Penny could tell that his mind's gears were turning. "What are we going to do?"

"I'm not sure. I don't know how we are going to prove his innocense..." Penny looked away for a moment, her mind racing. Despite the hardship ahead, she wasn't going to give up. There had to be something she could do to help Rudy. She looked back at Snap. "Did you have any ideas?"

Snap thought for a moment, rubbing his chin thoughtfully with his right hand. "Well, the only thing I can think of is that we get Terry to say that Rudy is innocent." Penny looked at Snap in shock. "If we get her to confess, maybe they'll lay off Rudy's back."

"But how would we get her to confess? She'll probably just try to rework the blame onto him." Penny said, raising her shoulders and arms. "She has no reason to do us or Rudy any favors, and her mom would probably try to get her daughter to make more lies in order to make Rudy look bad."

Snap nodded in agreement. "I understand, Penny. But we can't come up with a plan in a matter of seconds. We'll need some time." He coughed a couple of times. He flinched, sucking in a breath, and pounded his fist against his chest. After he managed to relax, he said, "Why don't you get some of our friends here? Rapsheeba, Blocky, Lars... anyone. I'm sure someone would have an idea on how to help Rudy."

Penny knew Snap was right. They would need time to figure out a good plan. If they got some help, they could figure out a way faster. Giving a nod to her friend, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the magic chalk. She quickly drew a homing beacon, similar to what Rudy had drawn when Reggie's leg was stuck in the concrete floor. Once it was drawn, she gave it a simple instruction.

"Find our friends. Bring them here. Quickly."

Penny and Snap remained quiet as the homing beacon recieved its instructions. Flapping its 'wings' hard, it made its way out of its room. The pair watched as the device disappeared. As it did, they glanced nervously at each other. They hoped this was going to work.

sss

The meeting took longer than Penny thought it would. She was expecting an hour, but they ended up chatting for three hours at the very least. Everyone had ideas to give, though much of the talk was just them trying to think of something they could do. They all gave their opinions on the situation, and everyone had a chance to speak, which was amazing considering all the zoners that came into the room a short time after she sent the homing beacon.

Penny didn't want the meeting to last that long, but there wasn't much she could do. There were at least ten people in there, maybe more, crammed in the room, all spouting ideas on how they can help Rudy. She and Snap did their best to keep everyone organized, allowing everyone a chance to speak. But it was difficult, and they still spent longer talking about the situation than they had intended.

After all that talk, there was really only one idea that stuck out to Penny. And it was an idea that she and Snap had thought about before the meeting. They should talk to Terry and see if she can knock some sense into her mother. However that idea probably will backfire, considering Terry is their enemy and will probably take advantage of the situation to get back at them, or use it as an opportunity to blackmail them into giving more information about ChalkZone. Still, there wasn't much they could do.

The only other thing that they might be able to do, but Penny wasn't so certain if it would help, is speaking to one of Vinnie's parents. There was talk of her speaking to Terry's father, but she declined. She suspected that, if Mary wasn't a single mother, she would have told her husband about the situation and probably got him on her side.

However, Vinnie's father might be a different story. Penny never met him, though she heard mention of him before. She hoped that, if she did run into him, that he would be a reasonable guy and at least see that Rudy never meant for that accident to happen. And of course, there was Vinnie's brother. She forgot his name, but she remembered him quite clearly. He was a rather large, though not as bright as his brother, who had taken her and Rudy to the station when they first crossed paths with Vinnie. She recalled Vinnie's brother didn't seem to be quite as insane or mean-spirited, so perhaps he could also be of some help. But she wasn't quite sure.

She hoped that this situation won't be harder to straighten out as the problem in ChalkZone was during the days she and Rudy would visit their friend. She recalled that was hard enough to fix, what with all the accusations and anger. But she could understand where the zoners were coming from.

Rudy admitted to breaking into the jail where Boorat was sent. Penny was horrified when Rudy said that he had knocked out two zoners in order to gain entry. She was glad he didn't hurt them, but the thought of Rudy doing something like that, to break into a jail, break the trust of zoners to get Boorat of all people out... It still shook her up a little. She could only imagine the look of betrayal that must have been on the zoners' faces as Rudy rode Boorat out of the jail and through ChalkZone City. That must have been quite a sight.

At least Boorat had been recaptured. He didn't get too far and was taken away before he could cause more damage. Rudy explained to Penny, and to the zoners, the only reason he let Boorat out was because he wanted the grey zoner to take him to where he was created. He didn't know where to start looking for Penny and Snap, and he knew that Boorat would remember where he spawned into the world.

The reaction he got was just what Penny expected. She and the zoners were quite upset with Rudy doing something like that. They told him that the stunt he pulled could have backfired horribly, and Boorat could have just stolen his magic chalk and given it to Vinnie and Terry. Rudy acknowledged this was a huge risk and apologized. The zoners didn't forgive him right away, but he did his best to make up for it, such as repair parts of ChalkZone City that suffered damage caused by Boorat.

That obstacle wasn't really a concern anymore. While a couple zoners still held some resentment towards Rudy for that incident, right now, the more pressing matter on hand in Penny's mind is how to get her friend out of jail. After talking with the zoners, she thinks she has an idea now what she could do. She was uncertain if it was going to work or not, but the only way to find out was to try.

Penny sat in the passenger's seat of her mother's car, strapped in. She watched as the buildings of the city passed by. She looked over at her mother, who wore a solemn, uncertain look on her face. Penny wanted to say something, but kept quiet, allowing her mom to concentrate on driving.

She had told her mom about her idea. Her mom was reluctant at first, worried that Penny might end up in that woman's sights just like how Rudy had. Penny insisted that something had to be done, and this might be one of their only shots at fixing this. Her mom did cave in, since she didn't want Rudy in jail no more than Rudy's parents, and she did acknowledge that Penny had a good point. Mary may target her even without her coming to the hospital.

Despite the risk and uncertainty, Penny realized that Terry would be the best option to go to first. If Terry refused to help, then she would try Vinnie's father. Even if all fails, at least she could say that she tried.

Penny felt herself jerk forward slightly as her mom parked the car quickly in the lot. She turned the car off, unbuckled herself, and got out of the car. Penny followed close behind her. She and her mom entered the doors of the hospital and in moments, they walked up to the receptionist desk.

It took a little while, but they eventually convinced the receptionist to let them see Terry Bouffant. They urged that it was important that they speak to her. They also asked to know if anyone else was there. The receptionist confirmed that, at the moment, Terry was alone. Penny felt relieved. If Mary was there, that would have complicated things. But that foul woman could show up at any time, so she knew she would have to make this visit a quick one.

After traveling through the building, following the directions the receptionist had given them, the two soon arrived at Terry's room. Penny hesitated, biting her lip. She then reached over and knocked on the door. She heard a groan on the other side, but no discernable words. Penny sucked on her lip and looked up at her mother. Her mother gave a nod, answering her unspoken question. Her mom leaned forward and opened the door. The two of them stepped inside.

Penny winced as she noted all the machinery still hooked up to Terry. She wasn't surprised to see the woman in such a weak state still. She had a lot of damage done to her from the accident. Her breathing sounded better, but it was still far from how it used to be. Her heart was still so weak, pumping somewhat irregularly as it struggled to keep the bloodflow through her body.

Despite being in such a position, Terry seemed at least somewhat alert. She took notice of the two females walking into the room. There was a flash of recognition in the woman's eyes, making it apparent that she knew who had just entered her hospital room. Slowly, her eyes narrowed straight at them. She opened her mouth to speak, but, being so weak, she could only manage a couple of pants.

Penny broke the silence. "Hello... Ms. Bouffant. We..uh... came by to see how you were doing." Terry just glared at her. Penny bit her lip, the tension rising up in the room faster than she had expected it would. She looked left and right, uncertain of what to say. "I..take it you're doing better...?"

At this, Terry finally responded. "N-No thanks t-to...you..." The tone was laced in venom, making Penny flinch and take a step back. "Wh-Why did you r-run away...? Why didn't you j-just stay and...t-t-tell me what I wanted to know? Th-Then this wo-wouldn't have..happened.."

Mrs. Sanchez gave a light scowl at the woman. "Now listen here. You were the one who decided to give chase to my daughter and her friends. You didn't have to do that, but you still did it anyway. And you were the one who kidnapped my daughter..and for what?"

Terry stared up at the mother. Her eyes widened slightly, as if she just realized now that she was being confronted by the mother of the child she stole. She hesitated, sucking her lip for a second. "I-I..." She clenched her teeth nervously as Mrs. Sanchez took a step forward. "I only wanted information on Ch-ChalkZone..."

"That mythical place?" Mrs. Sanchez growled. "You caused all this mess because of a place you think actually exists? How can you...?" The woman's voice trailed off and she growled softly. Penny could see the anger rising up inside of her mother. She watched her cautiously, hoping she won't do anything to ruin this chance. As soon as her mom looked as if she had cooled down, she continued, "Look, sorry... We came here to ask a favor of you."

Terry blinked her eyes a few times. She then glared softly and turned her head away. "Wh-Why should I..d-do you any f-f-favors..?"

Penny clenched her teeth at this response. It was just as she had feared. This was the sort of reaction she hoped she wouldn't get. Terry resisting... She knew this could happen and yet she wanted to believe that it wouldn't. Of course Terry wouldn't automatically be receptive. Why would she? Still, they had to try to get her to listen. Maybe, if she and her mom spoke to her enough, Terry would listen.

"Please, Ms. Bouffant. We're not just asking you. We're pleading with you. Help us." Penny said, moving closer to Terry than her mother. She soon stood beside her bed, looking down at the injured woman with a look of empathy. "I'm sorry this happened to you. We never meant for something like this to..." She closed her eyes for a moment. She reopened them moments later, noting Terry's expression. "My friend Rudy was arrested because your mom convinced the cops he tried to murder you." Terry's eyes widened just for a second, making it clear that she had no idea that this had transpired. "Please..help us. Call your mother off. Convince her Rudy didn't do it on purpose." She licked her lips nervously. "Please.."

Silence fell upon the room. Terry looked at Penny, her eyes still holding that tinge of shock and surprise. Her mouth was open partially. She continued looking at Penny before she glanced up at Mrs. Sanchez, as if trying to see if Penny spoke the truth. The woman nodded her head, causing Terry's eyes to widen further. She remained quiet for a few moments. Penny hoped that, maybe, Terry was going to listen to reason and do something helpful for once.

But that hope was soon dashed. Terry narrowed her eyes, giving a soft scowl. She flipped her head so that it faced the other direction. She took in a deep breath and exhaled. Penny winced at the negative emotion that accompanied that sound. "Why should I...?"

Penny sucked in a sharp breath. A torrent of emotion swept through her mind. She felt her hand form into a fist. She struggled to keep her anger from rising too high. She couldn't ruin this. "Bouffant...you know that it wasn't Rudy's fault. Please...are you willing to allow someone to go to jail who didn't even deserve it? Are you really that cold?"

At this, Penny winced, remembering what Terry and Vinnie had done to her. She realized what a stupid question that was. Of course Terry could be that cruel. She kidnapped her injured friend. She had her skull bashed in. She chased her and her friends down with a vehicle, nearly running them over. Yes, Terry would be that dark and twisted. As Terry remained silent, Penny felt herself get angrier.

Speaking with clearly restrained anger, Penny said, "I guess it was too much of me to ask you to be cooperative, wasn't it? Is it really too much for you to be reasonable for once? You know that this whole thing was your fault. You have no one to blame but yourself. What I find most unacceptable, Terry Bouffant, is not the mistakes you made, but the fact that you refuse to acknowledge them. And you didn't just hurt yourself due to your irrational behavior. That accident didn't just toss you into the hospital. Vinnie's here, too, because of you."

Terry turned her head and looked at Penny with widened eyes. Penny glared at her, seething through clenched teeth. Yet she was still able to control her anger, not allowing herself to go too far, not allowing her voice to explode and say things she didn't mean. Terry kept quiet, as if waiting to see if any of the two females had anything more to add.

Penny didn't say anything. She was giving Terry the chance to respond. She had already said her piece. Her mother already spoke. It was now up to Terry. The two female humans waited, locking eyes onto the woman, waiting for her to speak. It was all up to her now. Penny hoped that something they said got through to her. She hoped that, on some level, Terry was capable of understanding.

"Vinnie..." Terry spoke, her voice becoming growly. She narrowed her eyes, teeth bared. "He..he is here.. b-b-because of your friend... T-Tabootie..is the reason why I c-crashed... He's the reason.. that..that V-Vinnie is..." Her voice trailed off, dripping with anger.

"That's not fair!" Penny cried. She felt her mother pull her back. Penny regained her composure...barely. She glared at the injured woman. "You were the one giving chase.. Why are you pinning the blame on us? Why? Come on, Ms. Bouffant... You can't do this.. Please listen to reason. I'm begging you..please..."

"Get out."

Penny was taken aback by this. "What..?"

Terry shot an intense glare at Penny. "Get out of here, you little brat!"

"Hey!" Mrs. Sanchez held onto her daughter protectively. "Don't you dare speak to her that way..."

"Hmph..." Terry turned her head away, clearly not wanting to look at them. "Just get out of my sight. I don't want to see your daughter's face near me again..."

Mrs. Sanchez complied without hesitation. "As you wish." She looked down at Penny. "Come on. We're leaving."

Penny didn't follow her mother right away. She looked over her shoulder, seeing her mom waiting in the doorway. She then looked down at Terry. The redhead woman still refused to look at her, her gaze pointed in a different direction. Penny scowled at this, angered by how Terry was behaving. She should have known she would be just like her mother, and blame Rudy for her misfortune. It was absolutely disgusting... but she knew there was nothing she could do about it.

"I see... Okay fine. We'll go." Penny said. She did her best to restrain her anger. "Sorry for wasting your time..." With that, she turned and went towards her mother. She would just have to fall back on Plan B then.

As she left, she did not notice Terry's body shaking. She did not notice the sounds coming from the woman. She didn't notice the pained look in the woman's eyes. And she most certainly did not notice the tears running down the woman's face.

sss

Penny couldn't believe it. She stared at the man in shock, taking a step back. She tried to speak, but found it difficult to find her voice. She swallowed hard, and said, "Y-You're kidding, right? You can't be serious..."

The man she was speaking to stared down at her. A frown was on his face. He nodded his head once. "I'm sorry. But we didn't have much of a choice."

"You can't repeal the decision?" Mrs. Sanchez said hopefully.

The man shook his head. "I'm sorry. But after the interrogation, Rudy Tabootie was deemed too dangerous. They determined he is a sociopath and to make sure he doesn't cause any more problems, he has been sentenced to death."

A cold chill ran down Penny's spine at this. It felt like her blood turned to ice. No..it couldn't be... They couldn't do that to her friend. No... He didn't do anything to deserve this. How could they just stand by and allow an innocent child to be killed? Didn't Rudy deserve at least a trial? How could this atrocity be allowed to happen? How could they allow such injustice? It wasn't fair...

"You don't understand. Rudy would never do any of those things..." Penny winced as she remembered the list the man read off, telling her the fears the two cops had regarding what he'd do. They were all so horrible..so unlike what he would actually do. "Please..he's my best friend.. You can't allow them to go through with this... Y-You can't..." Tears began to stroll down her face.

The man looked at her. His expression softened up a little, showing a bit of sympathy. But they soon narrowed and he shook his head. "I'm sorry. There is nothing I can do."

"Please...!" Penny cried, rushing forward. "You have to...!"

"Penita, enough." Mrs. Sanchez gripped her daughter's arm and pulled her back. Penny looked up at her and tried to speak, but her mom simply shook her head. "We tried. But this man is not..." She stopped herself, as if realizing she could insult the person standing before them and accidentally make things worse. "He can't do anything. Let's just go."

Penny took in shaky breaths. She looked from her mother to the man a few times. Their expressions didn't change. Her mother looked at her sadly, while the man held a soft glare, telling her that there was nothing he could, or would do, to change the decision. The realization of this struck Penny hard, and she felt a wave of emotion in the pit of her stomach, making her feel heavy and sick.

Her mind swirled with thoughts. She found it hard to believe that this was really happening. Her friend was going to die soon, all because of that vile woman. And what really tore her up on the inside is that there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it. She never felt so helpless in her life. Her body shook as emotion swept through her. She couldn't stop the tears from flowing down her face. This couldn't be happening... It just couldn't...

As Penny cried, she felt her mother begin to guide her out, whispering words of comfort, trying to console her. Penny could tell her mother was distraught as well, but also angered at the injustice clearly being displayed. She knew that her mom was making a wise choice in leaving, or they could be next. But that did little to comfort her in this harrowing time.

The two females stopped in the doorway of the station. They looked over, staring at the cop they had just spoke to. They locked eyes onto the man for a few seconds, sharing a mixture of emotions with each other. Then, with no sounds other than Penny's whimpering and her mother's attempts at consoling her, they left.

As she and her mother climbed into the car, Penny collapsed against the chair, not even bothering to buckle it. She was not aware of her mother buckling it for her. Penny's mind nearly shut down, and was only aware of the negative things that had transpired. She couldn't believe that things took such a turn. She had hoped that, out of this, something good would arise, but she had been wrong.

Attempts to talk to Vinnie's father failed. He seemed more reasonable than Mary. She could give him that. But he had insisted there was nothing he could do. He acted as if he knew Mary well, and warned her that Mary could be quite persuasive. The man angered Penny; he sounded like a coward who just didn't want to get mixed up with anything. The talk with him proved to be a waste of time, and Vinnie was still unconscious.

Her mother suggested they speak to the police. Maybe they could convince them to let Rudy go. Penny held onto the hope that this would work. She hoped and prayed that the police, the last beacon of hope, would be able to help them.

Yet just like before, that hope was shattered into pieces. But this time, it was worse. Not only was Rudy still going to remain arrested, but he..he was going to die...

Penny wasn't sure what she could do. What was she capable of doing now? From what the man said, Rudy wasn't even going to get a trial. That was so unfair, so uncalled for, and she knew it would enrage the citizens if they found out. But how could they prove it? She doubted she could prove anything. She didn't even know where to start, and at the moment, her mind was too distressed to think of an affective plan.

Penny felt the vehicle begin to move, and she knew that her mom was taking them hope. Unable to hold it in any longer, Penny broke down crying.

sss

Mary smirked in satisfaction as she stared at the two angered parents before her. She hardly showed any reaction as the two adults yelled at her. She didn't care what they said. She let them rant away at her. It was too late now to reverse anything, and there was no way she was going to cave into them. She had gotten what she had come for, and that was what mattered the most to her.

The little brat's parents confronted her when they ran into one another in the store. They were none to happy to see her, which didn't surprise her. They cared for her their son, and she remembered the half-baked threat they gave, warning her to stay away. She scoffed at the memory. It amused her that they actually thought that would keep her from dishing out the justice that little snot-nosed brat deserved.

The boy was in jail now, where he belonged. Now he will not be able to hurt her daughter ever again. He was paying the price for what he did. She couldn't help but feel great pride in what she had done. She successfully neutralized a threat and taught him a valuable lesson to boot.

Mary folded her arms against her chest. "All I did was do the right thing." She said coolly. She let out a quick chuckle as the male parent snarled at her. "Your son was a menace. I was just making sure he no longer remained a menace."

"He didn't do anything wrong! It was your own daughter's fault this happened!" Mrs. Tabootie shouted.

Mary narrowed her eyes dangerously at the woman. How dare she say that...? Mary stormed over to the large woman. She struck her with an open palm, making the blonde woman's head to the side. "Don't you dare try to blame my daughter for this."

Mr. Tabootie grabbed onto his wife's arm, looking at her sympathetically. After making sure his wife was okay, he shot a glare at Mary. "She was the one chasing our son. He was just trying to get away. What were you expecting? Him to just lay down and hold still?"

Mary shook her head in disgust. Of course the two idiots would be too blind to see the truth. They would automatically side with their son without really thinking about what happened. They weren't even there. They didn't see what she saw. They don't understand. They never would. She silently wished they would listen to reason, but that was too much to ask.

"My daughter was chasing him, yes. But he was leading the way. He was the one who dictated which direction they would go. He was running straight towards the fountain. I saw it with my own eyes. I could see the look in his face. He wanted to do it. He wanted to make my daughter crash, probably for some sick revenge tactic..."

Mrs. Tabootie cocked an eyebrow. "Sick revenge tactic eh...?" She narrowed her eyes, anger clearly etched on her face. "That sounds familiar..."

Mary stared at Mrs. Tabootie with widened eyes. "Are you saying that I...?"

Mrs. Tabootie gave a slightly dark smile, shining with anger. "The only reason you did this was to satisfy your twisted sense of justice. Did you even talk to your daughter about this? Would she approve? Would she feel proud?"

Mary took in a few quick breaths. She continued to stare at the large woman in shock. Slowly, her eyes narrowed in anger and hatred. She curled her lips back into a snarl. Rage swept through her body, making it tremble. Mrs. Tabootie started to look a little afraid, and her eyes widened as if she realized she may have gone too far. Mary began to stalk towards her slowly, deliberately.

"Why you..." Mary snarled. Then something made her stop.

She had forgotten she was in a store. She forgot that they weren't the only ones present here. It seemed their little spat had begun to draw attention, and now several people surrounded them, watching in curiosity. There were at least ten people, eyes all locked on her, Mrs. Tabootie, and Mr. Tabootie.

She clenched her teeth. There was no way she could continue on with what she was doing with this many witnesses. She had wanted to slug that woman for her words, but now she would have to hold back on that. That was no longer an option, not with an audience. One wrong move, and she could end up arrested. Mr. and Mrs. Tabootie knew that, too, and, glaring at her, they took a few steps back, clearly not wanting the fight to escalate further.

Mary forced herself to relax. She found it difficult, the anger burning inside her, practically leaving a hole. But she had no choice. She forced her fists to unclench, and she tried her best to adopt a less hostile posture.

"Try to calm down, Tabooties. Just as my daughter will recover and come back to me, so will your son. Just relax and wait, and you'll get him back. Then everything will be back to normal." Mary spoke with as much control as she could muster. She spread her hands out, emphasizing her words. "It will be like nothing happened." The two parents glared at her, but she just smirked in response. "Now..if you'll excuse me..." She turned her back to them. "I must get going now."

With that, she walked away. She ignored the shouts from Rudy's mother. She ignored the boy's father's attempts at trying to talk to her more. She ignored what the confused people were saying, who tried to figure out what was going on. She was in no mood to speak further. She had something else to do that was of more importance than entertaining these adults.

She needed to visit Terry. She smiled, more pride swelling in her heart. She couldn't wait to tell her daughter the good news.

sss

Rudy struggled as the cop's grip on his wrist tightened. His arm was twisted painfully, making his teeth grit. He tried to get away, but the man just yanked him forward, making him nearly trip over his own feet. Rudy glared at the man, trying to pry his arm free. It was no use.

He was being dragged through a hallway in prison. It was the prison for the more dangerous criminals. Rudy knew he didn't belong here, and it angered, saddened, and horrified him that these cops were convinced this was where he needed to be. Just how much influence did Mary have? Was she the wife of one of these guards like he thought earlier? He pushed the thoughts aside as he struggled, trying to get himself free.

The horrible smell of the place was all around him, making his head spin. To make it worse, a few of the prisoners made jeering comments at him, uncaring that he was just a child. Some were shocked he was there, and others just didn't care. Only a couple seemed sympathetic, but that wasn't enough to make up for the coldness in the words spoken by a few of their cellmates. They still pierced through his heart, making him feel terrified.

"More fresh meat eh? He seems really young, though."

"Don't worry. He'll get older. I guarantee you, he'll be here for a long time."

"I wonder how he's going to feel...when the time comes."

"Probably will still cry for his mommy."

These comments were accompanied by and intermixed with cold laughter. He tried to ignore it. He tried to push those cold words aside. But he found it difficult to do so. His body trembled as the comments echoed in his mind. The more he listened to them, the more he realized he had to get out of here. He didn't know how long he was going to be stuck here, but he knew it was going to be way too long.

"Please... you have to let me go... Please.." Rudy begged the cop. He gripped his arm and pushed against it. "This is a big mistake! You can't do this!"

The cop snarled in his direction, his eyes piercing. "Cut it out, kid. Don't make this harder on yourself." He yanked Rudy hard, enough to make him trip and the tops of his feet began to scrape along the ground as he was being dragged. "This is where you'll be staying before your appointment."

"My appointment...?" Rudy asked, confused. What was this man talking about?

The cop nodded his head. "Yes. For your execution."

It took Rudy a few seconds to fully registered what the man said. He gasped loudly in horror, cold waves moving through his limbs. It felt as though the world around him darkened. His body shook harder as his struggles increased. When this man and his partner were interrogating him earlier, he..he never thought that...

"Let go of me! You can't do that!" Rudy shouted, fear tinged on each word. "I'm supposed to have a trial! You can't just send me off to be killed just like that!"

The cop stared coldly down at him. "I can if I'm the chief of police." At this, Rudy froze, his heart skipping a beat. "And I definitely can if it was my niece that you had harmed..."

Rudy couldn't believe it. This cop...he was Mary's brother... This..this was how that Mary... He tried to struggle harder, but it was in vain. The man was much stronger than him, and even if he could get away, there was no way he could out run him or get far. Rudy was trapped, and this realization sent waves of horror through his body.

"I can pull a few strings, as you can see." The cop said, giving a small, somewhat nasty smile to Rudy. The boy could only look up at at him in fear. "Trust me, no one is going to question your execution without a trial. They will know you deserved it."

Rudy tried to protest, but he was silenced as he was tossed into a cell. He hit the ground painfully, letting out a few cries as he tumbled. He heard the sound of the door closing, locking in place. He pushed himself onto his hands, shaking his head. He looked up towards Mary's brother. He smirked darkly at him for a few seconds, giving him a look that told him he was done for. Then he turned and walked away.

Rudy wanted to get up and rush towards the bars. He wanted to pound on them, and shout at the man. He wanted to yell and scream at how unfair all of this was. He wanted to call him out for soiling the justice system. But he found himself unable to. His mind was numb at the moment, weighed down by the horrible memory of what the man had told him, what his fate was going to be. He didn't want to believe it, but the man sounded so serious. At this realization tears streamed down his face.

He..he was going to die... He was going to be executed. He had been sentenced to death... and all because of this gawd forsaken revenge plan by Terry's mother and uncle. The thought caused burning anger, but mostly it caused grief and horror. He was unable to think very clearly, his mind swirling with many thoughts regarding his sentencing. He wondered if his parents would be informed..if Penny and her mom knew... And Snap, he wasn't even going to be able to tell him. He didn't even have any chalk with him.

It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair.. What did he do to deserve this? How could they think he was a sociopath? How could they think he deserved to die? How could Mary and her brother get away with this? How wasn't anyone seeing through this? This and other questions clouded his mind. Cries began to escape Rudy's mouth, unable to hold them back any longer.

His crying was quickly interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Rudy...? What are you doing here...?"

Rudy lifted up his head and looked over. He could see this cell was occupied by someone. He could see someone laying on the bed. The shape was in shadow at the moment. As the figure got off the bed and headed towards him, he could see the shadows crawling away slowly, revealing the person whom he had been roomed up with.

His eyes widened as he recognized this person. A torrent of emotions, both negative and positive, washed through him, making his body shake in disbelief. A part of him wanted to yell at this man. A part of him wanted to show him how much he hated him for what he did. And yet..there was a part of him that felt relieved. That in the midst of all this scary unfamiliarity, he was with someone he knew and recognized.

After a few moments, trying to sort out his thoughts, Rudy clenched his teeth tightly, tears forming in his eyes. "M-Mr. Wilter...!"

Not letting his former teacher get a word in edge wise, Rudy rushed over to him and wrapped his arms around him. The man was confused by this and tried to speak to him. Rudy just cuddled up against him, whimpering and crying as the man put his arms around him. He didn't care if the other inmates were watching. He didn't care what they were saying. Right now, all he could do was cry against Mr. Wilter, feeling the man rub his back in an attempt to comfort him.

"Rudy...what are you doing here...?"


	17. Crossing The Line

Mr. Wilter was beside himself in shock. He couldn't believe who his new cellmate had been. He wasn't expecting to get anyone, let alone Rudy Tabootie himself. He found it hard to stifle his shock. He could feel Rudy's trembling body against him. The poor buy was so shaken up, that his previous anger with the man, which he was certain Rudy had, was nothing more than an after thought. What could have spooked Rudy up so badly?

Despite his initial shock, Mr. Wilter did his best to calm his nerves. He had to do something to try to soothe Rudy and calm him down. He needed some comfort right now. Mr. Wilter pulled the boy closer, wrapping him deep in his arms. He rested his chin on the boy's head. He could feel him cuddling closer, his crying increasing in volume. Mr. Wilter bit his lip, his heart breaking at the sound of his former student in so much distress.

"There there... Take it easy son..." Mr. Wilter said softly, rubbing Rudy's back. "It's going to be okay.." He wasn't sure if those words were true, but he felt like he had to say something to try to settle the boy down. "Please calm down."

Rudy looked up at him. They locked eyes with each other. Mr. Wilter flinched as he saw how sorrow and terror-filled those eyes were. Mr. Wilter had never seen Rudy look this bad before. The boy opened his mouth to speak, but soon shut it. He pressed his head against Mr. Wilter's chest, crying into it.

Mr. Wilter looked down at Rudy sadly, wondering just what had made the boy act this way. The act of arresting was bad enough. He couldn't imagine what possessed the cops to drag Rudy here. Just being in this horrific place was enough to shake anybody up. But with the way Rudy was acting, Mr. Wilter could tell this was something much more serious than just trying to 'scare him straight'. He wanted to get Rudy to tell him what happened, why he was taken here, but he knew he couldn't get anything out of him right now. All he could do was try to comfort him and hope that he would settle down soon.

As Mr. Wilter held Rudy against him, his thoughts ran abuzz in his mind. He couldn't help but start to feel a burning sensation in his hands and stomach. Why would the cops arrest a little boy like him? What did Rudy do to deserve this? Sure he sometimes caused a bit of trouble. Sure he sometimes slacked off with his cartoons. But he never did anything that warranted something like this. At worst a trip to the station to get a stern talking to, but nothing like this. The more he listened to Rudy cry, the angrier he got at the people in charge. Rudy was just a little boy. Why would they lock him up in here? Why?

He was determined to find out. He didn't think the cops would listen to him, but maybe if he spoke to some of them, he could convince them to let Rudy go. He didn't belong in here. If they were upset over Rudy having him arrested, he felt this was a pretty silly and stupid way to deal with it. Even at his angriest, Mr. Wilter never thought Rudy deserved something like this. He would never want Rudy, or any of his former students, to end up in such a mentally distressed state.

He looked down at the crying boy. Poor Rudy... Mr. Wilter wished there was something he could say to help the boy feel better. Anything to help him to stop crying. But he was drawing a blank. He sucked on his lip, gritting his teeth. What could he do to help him?

The only way he could even begin to help was if the boy would talk to him. If he knew what happened, then he could try to help.

Mr. Wilter released his grip on the boy and placed his hands on his shoulders. "Rudy, listen to me..." Rudy looked up at Mr. Wilter, his eyes puffy and wet from crying. Mr. "I need you to tell me what happened." He gently squeezed his shoulders. "Please... you can tell me anything. I want to know what happened..so I can try to make it better."

Rudy took in a couple shaky breaths, his mouth opening. More tears flowed down his face. "I-I don't think you c-c-can do anything..." His voice was so shaky and broken. "No one c-can..." He sniffled. "I-I..." He started to cry harder, lowering his head.

Mr. Wilter pulled Rudy closer, pressing his forehead against his. "Shh... It's going to be okay. I promise." Rudy looked up at him, his expression that of uncertainty. Mr. Wilter wasn't sure what he could say to convince Rudy he was going to try to help, but he had to try. "Come on, Rudy. The least I can do is try. I'll do what I can. What do you have to lose?"

Rudy's lip curled at this, his face contorting into more sorrow. Mr. Wilter's heart stung at this. He hadn't meant to make the boy more upset. Before he could say anything, Rudy cried, "Everything!"

Mr. Wilter widened his eyes in confusion. He looked down at the boy, wondering what he meant by that. Everything? How would Rudy lose everything if he trusted him and told him what happened? Mr. Wilter began to wonder just how serious this situation was. What did the cops tell him? Did they threaten him? Did they try to hurt his family? These and other bitter thoughts raced through his mind, making the man hold onto Rudy tighter.

"Please tell me, Rudy." Mr. Wilter pleaded with the boy. "Tell me what happened. It will never get better if you don't talk to me about it. Please... Talking to help you feel better."

Rudy narrowed his eyes slightly. "It won't work for this..."

"Why?" Mr. Wilter inquired. Rudy didn't answer. "Rudy, I won't be able to understand what you're going through unless you talk to me. Tell me what happened to you. Tell me why you are here. Only when you tell me will I understand. And only when I understand can I try to help you." Rudy was still uncertain. Mr. Wilter put his face close to his again. "Please...talk to me, Rudy."

"O-Okay..." Rudy sniffled. Mr. Wilter smiled lightly at the boy when he gave in. Rudy wiped away the mucous from his nose and rubbed the tears from his face. "They..they..." He took in a couple quick breaths. He looked up at Mr. Wilter, his eyes bulging, shining in emotion. "They're going to k-kill me..."

At this, Mr. Wilter felt his heart stop beating, the world around him ceasing to exist. He nearly fell back in shock. He stared at Rudy, waiting to see if the boy was lying. Rudy just continued to look at him sadly, his teeth gritted as tears flowed down his face. This took Mr. Wilter a while to digest in his mind.

They were going to do what to Rudy..? They were going to kill him...? Why? What did Rudy do to deserve that? It was bad enough that they arrested him and locked him up in here. But to give him a death sentence? What the fuck did Rudy ever do to deserve that? He was just a little boy for crying out loud. Mr. Wilter felt his body shiver slightly as anger began to rise up in his stomach. He wanted to badly to find the nearest cop and rip them apart. But he had to keep his cool. He had to remain calm so he could comfort Rudy. He sucked in a breath and exhaled, feeling his heart rate slowing back down.

After he settled himself down, Mr. Wilter asked a single, simple question. "Why...?"

Rudy's body shook, his breaths becoming increasingly shaky and rapid. "They..they think I tried to m-murder Terry Bouffant.. They..They think I'm a sociopath... Th-They think I'm going to ki-kill someone... they..."

"Whoa! Slow down!" Mr. Wilter placed his hand against Rudy's cheek as the boy quieted down. He could feel the boy's tears rolling over his hand. He paid it no mind as he rubbed the skin gently. His mind was reeling from what the boy had told him. Terry? Sociopath? He had to know more. "Please...start over from the beginning. Tell me everything that happened."

Rudy sniffled, lowering his gaze. "It all started when..."

sss

Snap stared at his friend, his mouth agape. He tried to comprehend what she just said. His ears could hear it, but his mind refused to register it. This...this couldn't be happening. It couldn't be true, no... Anything but that.

But the longer he listened to Penny speak, the more he saw her face and how distressed she obviously looked, he knew there was no denying it. He couldn't pretend like this wasn't happening. He couldn't go on acting as if Penny was lying. Why would she ever lie to him? Especially about something like this?

Yet..it was still hard for him to swallow. A part of him refused to accept reality. A part of him wanted to believe it was some kind of sick joke. But deep down, he knew the truth. He knew this was reality. He knew that Penny was telling him what had really happened. A truth so shocking and horrible, yet he had no choice but to acknowledge it. He couldn't attempt to ignore it, especially not something like this.

"R-Rudy is...?" Snap couldn't even finish his sentence. His mind, still weakened from the illness that gripped him, was struck into shock, making it even harder for him to make coherent sentences.

Penny nodded her head a couple of times. She held her gaze away from him. She stared off into nothingness, her eyes filled with sorrow. She looked like she had been crying for a long time. Snap could see her cheeks were shining with tears, and if he were to touch her face, it would be slick and cold. He wanted to do something to comfort her and calm her down. But how was he going to do that when he was just as startled and shaken up as she was?

Penny sniffled loudly, wiping away a tear. She turned her head slightly, just enough so that she could look at Snap with a single reddened eye. "That's what they told me." She looked away, lowering her head. "I just..can't believe it. Wh-Why would they even think...?"

Snap gritted his teeth. "How..How could they think that Rudy did any of that on purpose...?"

"I don't know!" Penny gripped her head, shaking it from one side to the other. "Rudy's such a sweet kid! And they think..they think he's a monster!" She choked back sobs, her voice shaky and broken. "My mother and I tried to stop them, b-but they wouldn't listen! They..."

Snap felt his heart break as Penny broke down crying. She was sitting next to him, her head lowered further. Snap leaned against her, putting his good arm around her as he tried to comfort her the best he could. Penny's body shook as sobs wracked through it. Seeing his best friend in such a state made it feel like a knife was jabbed through his heart. He wanted to try to speak to her more, but it was clear Penny was not in a talkative mood. So instead, he just held onto her with his arm, pressing the side of his face against her shoulder. He listened to her cry as he let her release her emotion.

Penny's crying echoed in his head. Snap clenched his teeth tightly, doing his best to control the anger rising inside of him. He wasn't sure what creepazoid thought that Rudy would deliberately murder, but if he were there, he would give that jerk a piece of his mind. Rudy didn't deserve to die. He never did anything to deserve such a horrible fate. He couldn't believe that the justice system in the real world could be so corrupt that it would sentence a child to death without a fair trial. To know how easily that system can be manipulated at times was horrifying. All it took was one single person and...

That was when realization struck him. He had a feeling he knew who was the cause of all this mess. But he would need a confirmation and he knew how to get it. He looked up at Penny, gently nudging her to get the girl's attention. As soon as he got it, he laid down the question.

"Terry's mother is responsible...isn't she?" Snap's voice was gentle, yet firm. "She's the one behind this?"

Penny sucked in a sharp, trembly breath. "Y-Yes." She gripped her legs tightly, her finger nails practically digging into the skin. "I'm sure she manipulated them..somehow." Her voice took a bitter edge to this. Snap couldn't blame her for being upset. "She..She probably found a way to hold the cops by her finger, and make them do what she wanted. She set this all up as some kind of...stupid fucking revenge...!" Her eyes shut tightly as bitter tears dripped from her eyes, her teeth bared angrily.

That confirmed it. It was that darn woman whom Penny told him about before. The one who had hostily confronted Rudy over the accident with her daughter. The one who had frightened him half to death. The one who promised to seek revenge on him. She had made her move, and it was more deplorable and disgusting than Snap had ever imagined. Just..what would have possessed her to do such a thing? To take things this far..?

Revenge was a stupid idea. Snap didn't know why anyone would enage in it. Sure he got back at Reggie, but he didn't really harm him. He just played with him a bit. That's all. It wasn't like he went out of his way to make Reggie suffer like Mary was with Rudy. He didn't like the idea of wasting hours of productive time on something so meaningless. All that was going to happen is that Mary's revenge will fuel more revenge. He was certain that Rudy's parents were going to want to get back at her for what happened, and then what? The cycle will just keep going until someone says 'no'. But by then, just how much damage will have been caused?

As a result, even though Snap would love to get back at her, it was not going to solve anything. Revenge was a fool's game. Right now, it was more important to think of how to get Rudy out of there. Snap would rest easier knowing Rudy was safe than he would if Mary got her just desserts. He did still want her to get what was coming for her, but he didn't want to waste time thinking about that right now. Now it was time to plan the next course of action.

"What should we do?" Snap asked. The suddenness of this question seemed to take Penny by surprise. She looked up at him, staring at him with widened eyes. "We need to find a way to get Rudy out of there."

Penny gave a couple sniffles. She wiped away a tear and shook her head. "I-I don't know how..."

Snap asked, "But we still have to try. Come on, you and I can come up with something I'm sure."

"And what if we don't?!" Penny snapped, staring at her friend with narrowed eyes. Snap leaned away from her, staring at her in shock. "What if we spend all this time trying to come up with a plan and that that..that rewretched woman tries to..." Her voice trailed off, breaking into short cries and whimpers. "I don't know if we can do anything.. I-I don't know if I can come up with anything to..."

As Penny's voice trailed off, as she lowered her head, closing her eyes in sadness, Snap couldn't help but gape at his friend. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He remained silent for a while, his mind trying to comprehend what he was witnessing. Then, his eyes narrowing, he suddenly gripped her shoulder, hard enough that it made Penny turn back to him.

"So..so you're just going to give up like that?!" Snap cried, his eyes widened in disbelief. "You're just going to sit there feeling sorry for yourself while Rudy is in trouble?!"

Penny shook her head. "N-No... I..."

"Then why don't we begin discussing some kind of plan then? Why don't we talk to each other, to our friends like we did before, and come up with a way to get Rudy out of there? Come on, Penny! I know you can do this!" Snap shouted at her.

Penny stared at her friend. She still looked so uncertain. She may have very well exhausted some ideas already. She may be feeling discouraged by that fact. But Snap knew that wasn't a reason to give up. There was still a chance that, somehow, they could come up with something that worked. He wasn't going to let Penny delve too deep into her guilt. Not while Rudy still needed help.

"I-I just don't know how to..." Penny started to say. Snap cut her off.

"Don't give me that, Penny! You're a smart, brilliant person! I know you can do this! Remember all the times you helped me and Rudy in ChalkZone! Remember the Taffy incident? Remember when you fooled Skrawl and me and Rudy in the process? You didn't give up then! Don't you dare give up on me now!"

Penny stared at Snap for a few moments. Her eyes were wide as if she were shocked by Snap's outburst. Snap continued to glare at her. Not out of anger, but out of the hope that maybe she would get what he was saying and pull herself out of this slump. The two of them locked eyes with each other for what felt like forever, and for the longest time, none of them said a word. Snap remained quiet, closing his mouth slowly, waiting for Penny to respond.

Penny turned her head away. He could see her eyes moving from side to side, her expression changing as if realization was finally hitting her. He could see her mouth opening up a little more, the tears slowly stopping their flowing. She looked back at Snap, and he could see some determination in those eyes. A little, but still there, and rapidly growing. Soon, her eyes narrowed a little. She smacked her lips a couple times, swallowing. She began to nod her head slowly.

"Y-Yeah.. You're right, Snap." Penny's voice no longer sounded shaky or uncertain. Now it was filled with as much determination as Snap had come to expect from his female friend. "You're absolutely right..." Her eyes narrowed further for a few seconds before she gave a softened look to Snap. "Thanks. I really was being a bit foolish there for a minute, wasn't I...?"

"Let's not focus on that anymore." Snap leaned against her, putting his arm around her again. "Let's focus on helping Rudy."

"Yeah." Penny nodded her head. "We can do it..." Snap smiled at this. "I know we can.." She pulled Snap into a gentle hug, careful to avoid his damaged arm. "Come on, let's try to think up a plan. Rudy is counting on us."

Snap nodded his head dutifully. The sooner the two of them thought of a plan, the sooner they could get Rudy back.

sss

Mary stood next to her daughter's hospital bed. Terry was fully awake, but at the moment, she wasn't looking at her. Mary bit her lip, wondering just what kind of pain she was in that she didn't want to speak. Ever since she came in here, the woman had her back turned to her. Mary knew it wasn't her that her daughter was angry with. Still this behavior was unusual, and Terry only ever did this if something was really bugging her.

She thought at first it was because of Rudy. Maybe her daughter was worried that brat was going to try something else on her. But when she brought him up, before she could say much, her daughter snapped, stating it wasn't Rudy that was bugging her. This surprised the woman. She was certain that Rudy would be the cause of her distress. She had come in here, pride filling her heart, wanting to tell her daughter the good news of Rudy's arrest, but now, even that probably wouldn't cheer her up that much. Terry was just too distraught.

She wished she knew what was wrong with her daughter. Why was she in such a gloomy mood? Was it the result of the medication she was being given? Was that taking a toll on her mental state? She had heard that certain medications can make the patient feel drowsy, confused, among other things. Was this the reason why her daughter wasn't so receptive of her right now?

Whatever the cause was, all Mary could do right now was relax and hope that her daughter would feel better soon. There was little she could say to help her right now. Terry had been in enough moods for her to know that once she's in this state, it's hard for her to get out of it. She just needed some time. When her daughter was ready to talk, she would. And when she would talk, she would be right there, waiting for her.

Mary wondered halfheartedly just what kind of punishment the boy was going to recieve. She had told her brother, Nixon, to give the boy what he feels is an appropriate sentence. She hadn't gotten in contact with him to learn what he had chosen. But she trusted it was a worthy outcome for what the brat had caused. She smiled inwardly. She wouldn't wait to see the look on the brat's face when he was finally locked away where he couldn't do anymore harm. She was certain it would be more glorious than the look he gave her when she showed up at his house with her brother and partner.

But for now, she would rather focus on her daughter. She bit her lip as she looked over Terry's injuries again. They only looked mildly better than from yesterday. The doctors said she would be here for quite some time. They didn't know how long it was going to take for her to fully recover. It all depended on her.

Brain damage seemed unlikely at least. The doctors still wanted to run some scans to make sure, but that was looking pretty good. Mary was glad. If that brat caused her daughter any longlasting pain... She wasn't sure what she was going to do. Kill him? No..she wouldn't go that far. But she would make him sorry for what he did. Terry didn't deserve this to happen to her. She was a little crazy, but that wasn't enough to warrant some little idiot running her into a fountain and... Her thoughts trailed off as her teeth clenched tightly and her fingers dug into her thigh. It took her a few seconds to get that out of her system and she began to relax a little. She took in a deep breath and sighed.

After what she guessed was half an hour of silence, Mary decided to try to speak to her daughter again. "Terry...what's wrong?"

The response was what she had been expecting. "I don't want to talk about it right now, mother." Terry growled softly. She still refused to look at her mom. "Just go away...please."

Mary shook her head. Stubborn as always. However Terry was not going to get her to leave that easily. She was her mother and she needed to talk about this. If she had to be a little forceful, she would eventually get her daughter to talk. "Terry, you know that won't work on me. I know you better than this. Something is troubling you. Now why don't you tell me?" She placed her hand on Terry's. "Please...I'm your mother. I want to help you."

Terry groaned. She lifted up her head slightly, looking back at her mother with one eye. "You really won't go away, will you?" Mary shook her head. Terry narrowed her eyes. "I'd rather not talk about it now."

"I know, Terry. But it's best to get these things out as soon as possible. Otherwise, it just gets harder later on. I should know." Mary said.

"You an expert on this?" Terry practically rolled her eyes. Normally this would bother Mary, but she led it slide; it was a sign her daughter's mentality was still in check despite being bashed in the head.

"You can say that. I've had many more years of experience in life than you." Mary patted her hand on the bed, near where Terry was. "Now come on. Tell mom what is troubling you."

Terry remained quiet for a bit. Slowly, she shifted herself so that she was on her back. She pressed her head on her pillow, looking straight up. She gritted her teeth, eyes narrowing in contemplation. Mary waited patiently for her daughter to respond. Then, after several moments, Terry turned her head onto its side, her eyes staring straight at her.

"It's about Vinnie."

Mary blinked her eyes a few times. "Vinnie? Your old boyfriend?"

"He's not my boyfriend, mom." Terry said through clenched teeth.

"My mistake. But what about him?" Mary asked.

Terry's angered expression soon melted away into sadness. She lowered her gaze slightly. "I just..feel so awful about what had happened to him. If I had just...done something different, he wouldn't have..." Terry's voice trailed off. She looked from the right to the left, her facial expression showing Mary just how thought-filled her daughter's mind was right now. "Vinnie might not make a fully recovery.. They said his head injuries look worse than mine."

Mary watched with sympathetic eyes as her daughter sniffled. Poor thing... She was blaming herself for what happened to Vinnie. No wonder she was such an emotional wreck right now.

Terry's body gave a couple shudders as she closed her eyes tightly, tears dripping down from them. "I know he sometimes got on my nerves. But he...he didn't deserve this..." She gripped the blanket tightly. It was to the point where Mary could have sworn her fingernails were going through the cloth. "If I had just stopped like he said.. He..He told me to slow down... That I was going too fast... and I-I didn't listen. Then he tried to warn me.. and it was too late. We..."

Mary leaned forward, wrapping her arms around her daughter and pulling her close. "There there...it's okay..." She whispered softly, trying to soothe her daughter. "It wasn't your fault..."

"Y-Yes it was..." Terry said, her breathing shaky and sharp. "I-If I had done what he said..If I d-didn't chase after those kids, he..he would be fine. This is all my f-f-fault."

"I know why you would think that. Sometimes when terrible things happen, we tend to blame ourselves for it. It's perfectly normal." Mary rubbed her daughter's back. She could feel her sobs wracking through her body. "But please understand that this wasn't your fault."

"H-How can you say that?" Came her daughter's muffled voice, her face pressed against her shoulder.

Mary smiled calmly down at her. "Because you weren't the one who decided to drive towards that fountain. It was that boy and his friends who led you there. If they hadn't done that, you wouldn't have been in any danger." At this, Terry broke away from her mother, staring at her. Misinterpreting the expression, Mary's smile broadened and she nodded her head. "It's all right. He won't be bothering you ever again."

"M-Mother..." Terry's voice trailed off. It was then that Mary realized that her daughter didn't appear happy by what she did. She was...shocked and confused. This surprised Mary. She thought her daughter would be grateful. "I...I'm the one who decided to give chase... I'm the one who lost my temper and went after them... It's my fault this happened, not Rudy's. As much as I don't like the little brat, I can't pin the wrap on him. He was just...scared and frightened, as were his friends. Can you blame them for not thinking straight when they were running for their lives?"

Mary stared at her daughter in shock. She hadn't expected Terry to defend Rudy like this. She hadn't expected her daughter to still continue taking blame despite the logic she tried to show her. A part of her wondered if Terry was feeling unwell, causing her to make misjudgments like this. Yeah, that was probably it. Terry just needed some rest so she could think more clearly.

But Terry wasn't done yet.

"I could have hurt so many people, mom. I was out of control. I took a huge risk, all just to catch Rudy and his friends. I was doing a bad thing, mom." She lowered her gaze, clenching her teeth. "I..I never thought it would ever get this far. No one got hurt before..." She closed her eyes, letting out a deep sigh. "This time, I wasn't so lucky. I got hurt, and Vinnie got hurt. I have no one to blame but myself..." She shook her head, and looked back at Mary. "And you're trying to tell me that Rudy is to blame...?"

"He's the one who led you to the fountain, dear. He..." Mary started to say.

"He was scared, like I said." Terry cut her off. "Scared and frightened. He was just trying to get his friends to safety. I don't even think he knew where he was going." She narrowed her eyes slightly. "I admit, I..used to blame him. But thinking back on my actions, I was the one giving chase. He hardly had any time to formulate a plan. I..I just can't bring myself to blame him."

Mary listened to her daughter's words carefully. She still found it hard to believe her daughter would blame herself when Rudy was the one in the lead, the one deciding the direction to go. Yet...hearing what Terry had to say...she began to wonder if she had been the one who had misunderstood everything. Could she really have been misguided and jumped to conclusions?

What Terry said did make sense. Rudy probably was scared. Her daughter hadn't exactly acted rationally. She had been chasing down three children, a behavior that, deep down, she wasn't proud of her for. If Rudy really was that scared and frightened, it would stand to reason that his actions wouldn't exactly be up to par. Perhaps it really all had been one big accident, and she had overreacted.

This realization caused a sting to form in her stomach. She pressed a hand against her stomach, realization sweeping through her abdomen, making it feel all twisty inside. If it really had been an accident, then that meant that...that she had... Oh no... The sting rapidly transformed into guilt, making her stomach feel like it was burning up, her mind filling with rapidly moving thoughts.

Terry noticed her mother's change in demeanor. "Mom..? What's wrong?"

"I had Rudy arrested..." Mary confessed right away.

Terry stared at her mother blankly for a second. She pressed, "You...what...?"

"I-I thought he was trying to kill you..." Mary turned her head from side to side rapidly. "I-I was just trying to protect you and I..."

Terry was silent for a few moments. She stared at her mother in shock. Then her eyes narrowed a little, and she shook her head. "I can't believe you did that. I might not be the biggest fan of Rudy, but even I think having him arrested for running away terrified is kind of harsh."

"I know..." Mary said, lowering her head in shame. "Look, I'll..I'll make it better. I'll call your uncle up." She pulled out her cell phone. "I'll have him release Rudy."

Mary got up from the bed and quickly dialed her brother's number. She placed the phone against her ear and waited for him to pick up. She listened to it ring as she paced back and forth in front of her daughter. She didn't look her daughter in the eyes as she waited for her brother to answer. After what felt like ages, she heard the phone click and her brother's voice on the other line.

"Hello? Mary? What is it?"

"Oh thank goodness I got a hold of you!" Mary exclaimed. Her brother was quite often busy, being the chief of police and all. To get an answer this quickly was something of a rarity. "Listen, I made a mistake. That Rudy kid... why don't you release him? I think we scared him enough."

The answer Mary got wasn't the one she had been expecting.

"I'm...I'm afraid I can't do that..."

Mary felt her heart freeze at this. "Wh-What...?" She took in a couple quick breaths. "Why not?"

"You know I don't have that much authority when it comes to jail. I am the chief of police, not the chief of wardens. I have some influence, but in order for him to be released... That's beyond my power right now. Most of the cops and wardens think he's guilty, and the wardens are the ones who decide who gets free and who doesn't." There was a pause in his voice. "Despite what I said to Rudy, I don't have as much control as I may have said."

"Well talk to the wardens then. Get him out of there." Mary said.

"It's not that simple. After what I told them... I don't think they would ever want to release him."

"What...what did you say...?" Mary asked nervously. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know the answer.

"I-I told him he was a sociopath.."

"You did what?!" Mary cried in disbelief.

"And there's more." Nixon sounded so guilt-ridden when he spoke. For him to sound like this, Mary knew something was very wrong. "They're... They've already put him on death row..."

At this, Mary's heart felt like it dropped, shattering into many pieces. She nearly dropped her cellphone, staring straight ahead. She could hear her brother's questioning cries to her, but she didn't respond. She felt numb and cold inside.

They..they were going to kill Rudy...? No... This...This isn't what she wanted.. She didn't want to kill Rudy. She just wanted to teach him a lesson. She just wanted to show him what happens to people who try to kill other people. She never wanted something like this to happen. Oh gawd...what had she done...? She thought back to that kid's expression when he was dragged away, her heart twisting at the memory. If she had only known...

She slowly turned her head to Terry. They locked eyes with each other. Her daughter's eyes widened, as if she realized that something horrible was going to happen.

"Mother...?" Terry breathed.

"They're...they're going to kill him..." Came Mary's voice, barely a whisper. "I-I didn't mean to... I didn't..."

"Oh mom..." Terry pulled her head back, staring at her mom in shock. "Wh-What have you done...?"

Mary didn't answer. She simply stared at her daughter for a few moments, then hung her head, ashamed. She really blew it this time.

sss

Rudy leaned against the wall of the cell. He didn't care if the floor was filthy. He didn't care that the walls probably hadn't been cleaned in a long time. Right now, all he wanted to do was sit here and just be along in his thoughts for a while. No more talking. Just rest.

He had already spoken a lot a little while ago. He had relayed to Mr. Wilter what had transpired. He told him about the kidnapping. He told him about how he had tried to get Penny and Snap out of there. He told him about the accident. He told him about Mary and what she had been doing. He told him everything that he could think of that didn't partain to ChalkZone. Even though Mr. Wilter likely knows about it anyway, Rudy deliberately avoided talking about it for the time being.

Mr. Wilter was understandably shocked by the turn of events. He hadn't expected Terry and Vinnie to get involved, let alone Terry's mom. The man showed him great sympathy and tried to comfort him. But Wilter's words did little to comfort him and only served to make Rudy even more unhappy about his situation.

Besides, how would Wilter's words help? Rudy was still pissed off at him. He felt guilt about having him arrested so hastily. He knew if he had just held off, he could have gotten Snap back and this whole mess could have been avoided. But that didn't erase the anger he felt for him. This whole mess started because Wilter kidnapped Snap, locking him up away from him. He was the reason Snap had the cuff in his arm. He was the reason Snap was sick and in so much pain. That anger wasn't just going to disappear so fast.

When Rudy first came in here, he had been so distraught over his sentence that he wasn't thinking as well as he usually would. In that moment, he didn't care that Wilter was there. He just wanted someone to confide in. So he held onto the man, trying to settle himself down. Now that he had cried himself out and could finally relax, the old anger was returning and he distanced himself away from the man.

Mr. Wilter didn't do anything to stop him, and the man remained perched on the bed. Rudy took it as a sign that the man understood he was upset with him. Good. He didn't want to have to explain it to him. Mr. Wilter knew that he had done wrong. Rudy would gladly listen to an apology, but as for whether or not he would accept it... That may take some time. Rudy wasn't sure if he could forgive Mr. Wilter that quickly.

At the moment, he tried his best to push aside his anger for the man. After all, it was of no use to him here. It wasn't going to get him out of here. Besides, at least Snap was in the hospital now. He was getting treatment, so he was out of the danger zone. And Mr. Wilter..well he can't try to hurt Snap again, and it wasn't likely that he would. His expression seemed to hold some regret. That's good. At least he could give him that. Rudy had more disdain towards people who do wrong and then don't admit to it.

Right now, Rudy's main concern was trying to get out of here. He still felt cold terror in his stomach as he relayed the information in his head again. He remembered the man told him he was scheduled to be executed on the same day as Mr. Wilter's trial. That was likely the reason he was locked up with him, he theorized. That gave him a couple of days to think of a plan.

But he wasn't sure how he was going to pull it off. He needed a way to convince them that he was innocent. But Mary and that man...her brother... How were they going to be convinced? What could he say to get them to let him go? Rudy knew that both were angry at him for the accident with her daughter. Rudy did think that maybe Terry could talk sense into them, but that was a long shot. Terry would probably be more interested in using this as a way to blackmail him into letting her into ChalkZone. So he could count her out.

Maybe Penny could think of something. Yeah..she was always good at coming up with plans. She would find a way to get him out of this. He was certain of that.

His thoughts were interrupted as he heard a creak behind him. He didn't need to turn his head. He knew that Mr. Wilter had just gotten off the bed. He could hear the man's footsteps at his side. He could practically feel his shadow fall upon him. Rudy let out a soft groan. He had thought that Mr. Wilter would know to stay away from him.

"What do you want...?"

Mr. Wilter's footsteps stopped at this. Though they continued a bit after, they were slower, more hesitant and unsure. "I..need to speak to you."

"Oh? About what?" Rudy asked, not looking at his teacher.

"It's...about Snap."

This got Rudy's attention. He slowly turned his head and looked up at his teacher. He could see a tinge of guilt in his face. Knowing what was coming, Rudy simply gave a nod, gesturing for the man to continue.

Mr. Wilter bit his lip. "I...apologize for my atrocious behavior. I..understand it must have come as a great shock to you." Rudy cocked an eyebrow at this. Mr. Wilter flinched. "Yeah, I thought so..." He lowered his head, fumbling with his fingers. "I guess I was just...so confused and angry and..."

"Why did you kidnap him?" Rudy blurted out, a bit angrier than he had intended. "Why did you take him...when we were having so much fun...? Why...?"

Mr. Wilter was quiet for a moment. He stared at Rudy with a saddened expression. He clenched his teeth and looked away for a few seconds. Rudy could practically see the man's thoughts rush through him as he struggled to come up with an answer. He looked back at Rudy, and the boy could detect a stronger tinge of shame in the man's face, more evident in his voice as he spoke.

"It was the perfect time... People were busy. No one would notice a child being taken and..." Mr. Wilter started to say.

"One of the neighbors saw you." Rudy said bitterly.

Mr. Wilter's eyes widened at this. "Oh...? They did...?"

Rudy nodded his head, recalling the incident. "She was out for her morning run or something, and she saw you take Snap." Mr. Wilter stared at Rudy in shock. Raising his hand, he quickly added, "But she thought Snap was drunk and you were only trying to help him."

"I see..." Wilter lowered his gaze. "So that's how you found out..."

Rudy nodded in confirmation. "Yeah. If it hadn't been for her..we probably never would have known what you did."

Mr. Wilter kept his gaze away, looking even more ashamed now. "I know there's no excuse for what I did. I let fear and anger control me. I was...sitting in my house, thinking about Snap and realizing some things you said didn't add up... and I realized that Snap was..made of chalk." Even though Rudy already knew this, he couldn't help but widen his eyes in shock. "I thought he was a danger...and I kidnapped him. I tried to make him tell me about his world and how to get in. I wanted to tame or destroy the zoners...whichever was easiest on the situation."

Rudy narrowed his eyes at this. "They don't deserve that..."

Mr. Wilter nodded in agreement. "I can see that now. But at the time...I was so convinced they were a threat, and I kept..tormenting Snap to make him tell me what I want to know..." He stared at Rudy, his eyes shining in regret. "I put the cuff in him to keep him from leaving..and I pulled on it, hurt him real bad, made him pass out."

At this, Rudy could feel his blood start to boil. It took all his willpower not to snap at the man. "How could you...?" He said throug clenched teeth. "He's just a kid!"

"I didn't know that at the time...or at least, I wasn't convinced." Wilter said. He took a step back, as if sensing his increased hostility. "I thought I was doing the right thing..." He lowered his gaze. "It wasn't until I found him struggling to get away from the rain that I realized I was wrong..."

"The rain?" Rudy asked.

"The window was left open. I don't know how it got open, though." Mr. Wilter said, shrugging his shoulders. "Must've been the wind."

At this, Rudy's eyes bulged. Flashes of memories came to him in the back of his head. Now it was his turn to feel guilty. He fumbled his fingers nervously together. He lowered his head, turning it to the side. He could sense the man looking at him in confusion. "Actually...that was my fault."

"Huh?" Mr. Wilter stared at Rudy, perplexed.

Rudy looked back at Mr. Wilter. "When Penny and I found out you took Snap, we went to your place in hopes of trying to get him back. I climbed up the pipe and I saw Snap in that room. I saw how sick he looked..how terrified he was.. and the cuff." Mr. Wilter looked at Rudy, ashamed. "Before I could do anything, a neighbor yelled at me and caused me to fall down."

Mr. Wilter nodded his head. "I do remember hearing noise around my house earlier... Was that you?"

Rudy said, "Yeah..it probably was."

"So you're the reason the window was open." Mr. Wilter asked. At Rudy's nod, he said, "Well that explains that piece of the puzzle..." He looked away for a moment, his eyes narrowed in contemplation. He looked back at Rudy and continued his part of the story. "I saw how scared and frightened he looked, and then he got a burn on him when the water touched him. Not a bad one, but enough that it made him scream. I felt bad for him, so I put a towel there to soak up the water and keep it from getting to him. I unhooked him, and he passed out a short time after. That was when I got the wake up call that he was more real than I thought he was."

Rudy's eyes widened at the mention of the towel. "I thought the towel had Snap's remains...I thought you killed him..."

Mr. Wilter took in a sharp gasp at this. "What?! No of course not! I..." He stopped himself, exhaling slowly. "Well I can see why you would think that. I hadn't exactly been acting trustworthy lately."

"I wish I listened to Penny thought." Rudy couldn't help but feel angry at himself. "If I had, then I could have avoided all of this. She wanted to wait and see if you really did kill him...I was so convinced that you were that I..." His voice trailed off. It was hard for him to finish it.

Mr. Wilter nodded his head. "I understand. I still feel really horrible about what I did." He lowered his head, his eyes closed softly. "I did my best to make it up to Snap. I kept him a warm blanket so he wouldn't be so cold. I knew I couldn't do much to help him, though, so I tried calling your place. I left a voice mail, deliberately making it vague to keep out any details of ChalkZone. I had hoped you would come over and..."

"That was why you called...?" Rudy whispered softly.

Mr. Wilter said, "Yes. I wanted to give you Snap back."

Rudy couldn't believe it. While he had some suspicions earlier, hearing it confirmed... His body twisted and wracked in massive guilt as a torrent of emotion invaded his mind. He clutched his head tightly, digging his fingernails into the skin. He couldn't stop the tears from flowing down his face.

He..he blew it.. This was all his fault... He had jumped to conclusions and.. Oh gawd no... If he had just listened to Penny, if he had taken her advice and waited, they would have had Snap back. Mr. Wilter..he had been trying to right a wrong, and what did he do? He ripped that attempt apart by calling the police on him. Because of his actions, not only did he not get Snap back at the time, but he ended up sending him to a real world hospital, and a whole slew of other messes came about.

He took in a few shaky breaths, unable to stop a couple of sobs from starting to come out. Mr. Wilter looked at him worriedly and moved in closer. Rudy didn't attempt to push him away as the man placed his hand on his shoulder. Rudy looked up at him, his lower lip quivering. Seeing the man this close, seeing his eyes...it made him feel even worse, reminding him of what he had done.

"Oh Mr. Wilter...I..I thought it was a trap..." Rudy confessed, tears staining his cheeks. "I thought you were trying to trick me.. I-I had no idea that you wanted to..."

Mr. Wilter seemed to understand where he was going with this. "You were so angry at me that you called the police without the proper data." Rudy stared at Mr. Wilter in shock. He then swallowed dryly and nodded his head. "That would certainly explain the police." Mr. Wilter said sternly, his eyes narrowed. He looked and sounded disappointed in Rudy, an attitude that didn't at all surprise him. But there was also a look of sympathy. "But how could you have known? You were just angry and confused. If I were in your shoes, I probably would have called the police myself."

"But I made things worse!" Rudy cried. He put his hands in his face, crying harder. "It was my fault that Snap was taken to that hospital! It was my fault that Vinnie and Terry kidnapped him! It was my fault that Penny got hurt! It was my fault that..."

Mr. Wilter put his hand on Rudy's shoulder. The boy stopped and looked up at him. "Please calm down, Rudy. This isn't going to get us anywhere. You didn't mean for any of this to happen. It was an accident. Yes, I agree you should have thought things through more...but then so should have I." He placed a hand against his chest. "I am truly responsible for this to start with, and I am so sorry for all the trouble I put you through. I didn't mean it... But please...don't cry. Calm down."

Rudy sniffled. He knew Mr. Wilter was right. There would be nothing gained from him feeling guilty. He wiped away his tears and tried to settle himself down. "I'm...sorry for calling the police on you..."

"It's okay, Rudy. I was planning on turning myself in anyway. Now come here..." Mr. Wilter wrapped his arms around Rudy. The boy stiffened at this unexpected gesture. He soon relaxed and pressed the side of his head against him. Rudy continued to cry, letting it all out. "Shh...it's okay... This wasn't your fault... Please calm down. It'll be okay. I promise."

Rudy didn't know if he could believe the former teacher or not. They were knee deep in trouble and it was unlikely either of them were going to get out that easily. He didn't know what they were going to do. As he continued to cry against Mr. Wilter's shoulder, his thoughts turned to Penny.

He hoped that she would be able to do something.

sss

Penny grumbled to herself as she sat in the kitchen. In front of her was a bowl of soup. She whipped up something quick for her to eat as she tried to think of a way to help Rudy. She barely at as she thought, instead twirling her spoon around in the tasty liquid. She was hungry, but the more she realized how hopeless the situation might be, the less she wanted to eat.

She refused to give up. She remembered Snap's words. Even though they had failed to come up with something together, Snap was still certain something would come up. He had confidence in her. He was right. She could do this. She had been in tough situations before and still came out on top. She couldn't allow herself to fall into despair like she did before. That wasn't like her. She didn't like just giving up like that. She had to keep trying the best she could.

Rudy was counting on her. If she failed this, then...Rudy might be... The thought filled her with horror and sorrow. The thought of never seeing her friend again was terrifying. Rudy would be killed over something that wasn't his fault. That horrible woman, Mary, she was the real cause of this distress. She's probably laughing about it right now.

"Penita..." Penny looked over, seeing her mom standing here, looking at her sympathetically. "I understand you are upset about Rudy. But please..don't kill yourself over this. Let me handle it."

"You don't understand, mom. Rudy's my best friend. He would want me to..." Penny protested. She was silenced when her mother put a finger against her lips.

"I know you want to try to help him. But please, leave this to me." Her mom said, firmly yet gently. "I will do what I can to get Rudy out of there. I promise." Penny lowered her head, uncertain. Her mom's face furrowed with concern. "I know that woman went too far. I know you are terrified for Rudy's safety. I understand that. But Penny... you shouldn't put the whole weight of responsibility on your shoulders. That's what I'm here for. I promise, I will do what I can help Rudy."

Penny wanted to say something more to her mother. She wanted to try to convince her mom how important it was to her that she help Rudy. But she knew there was nothing she could say. Her mom would continue telling her to let her handle it. She understood why her mom felt this way. She just didn't want her getting into trouble, like how Rudy had, albeit unintentionally. Still it was frustrating that her mom was trying to pull her out of this. She wanted to...

Her thoughts were interrupted when there was a sudden ringing at the doorbell. The two females froze, staring at the door in shock. Neither of them had been expecting company today. They thought at first it was one of Rudy's parents, but they realized that was unlikely. They were currently busy, Rudy's mom trying to talk to the police with no avail last Penny heard, and Rudy's dad unable to get off work and having to be at his meat shop. She could just imagine how frustrated he must feel right now.

So who could it be? Penny wondered if, perhaps, it was the police. She had mixed feelings of that idea. On the one hand, it would be a chance to try to convince them to let Rudy go. On the other, they could be coming to name her as an accomplice.

Judging from her mom's expression, her narrowed eyes, she guessed that the woman also had a similar thought. Penny knew her mom wouldn't let anything happen to her. She knew that she would put up a fight, even if it meant getting arrested. Penny did feel assured that, if it was the police coming to get her, her mom will not allow her be taken away that easily.

The two of them shared a quick glance before they got up and headed towards the door. They moved cautiously, their minds alert, preparing for the worst. Penny's mom stood protectively in front of Penny, holding her arm out in front of her. She reached over and grabbed the door knob. She twisted it, and it opened up slowly. Their hearts pounded as anticipation rose in their stomachs. They watched intently as the door swung open, revealing...

...Mary Bouffant.

The two women gasped in shock at this. Standing in the door way was Terry's mother. The woman had her head lowered, and she was smiling somewhat sheepishly at them. Slowly, Penny and her mom glared at her. What did she want?

"H-Hi.." Mary said in a small voice. "M-May I come in...?"

Penny's mom narrowed her eyes further. "Why are you here?" Penny winced at how cold her mom's voice sounded, but in this case, it was perfectly understandable.

"I wish to help." Mary said.

Penny and her mom widened their eyes in shock.


	18. Righting A Wrong

Mrs. Sanchez stood at the door, staring in shock at Mary. "You..want to help...?" At the woman's nod, she folded her arms against her chest. "Why do I not believe you? After all you have done?"

Mary winced at this. She tried to speak, but she quickly shut her mouth. She let out a sigh and turned her head away. Her eyes furrowed in nervousness. Mrs. Sanchez could tell this woman was feeling bad about something, but she couldn't tell if this was merely an act or if the woman was being genuine. She didn't want to let her guard down, though. This woman had caused problems for her friends and was the reason Rudy got arrested. She had little reason to trust her.

She looked down at her daughter. Penny was glaring at Mary, her eyes refusing to leave her. She wasn't surprised her daughter was unhappy to see her. Rudy was in jail all because of her. Mrs. Sanchez knew how much Penny cared about Rudy. She woudn't take kindly to someone who caused her friend so much misery.

Not wanting Penny to see their discussion, knowing it might get ugly, Mrs. Sanchez shooed her daughter away. Penny was reluctant at first, but after a couple urges, Penny got the hint and she went up into her bedroom. Mrs. Sanchez felt kind of bad. Penny would want to know the condition of her friend and if they found a solution. But she also didn't want to unintentionally become this woman's next target should things get quite ugly. She would deal with Mary and tell Penny the aftermath.

"Okay then..." Mrs. Sanchez said, her teeth clenched slightly. She did her best to hide her anger. "Come on in..."

"You don't have to mask your anger. I know you are upset with me." Mary walked into the house. She looked at Mrs. Sanchez for direction. Mrs. Sanchez gestured for the kitchen. Mary obligued. "I see no reason why you have to hold back on me. And..." The woman stopped herself. Mrs. Sanchez guessed she was going to ask about Penny. Mary cleared her throat as she stopped in the middle of the kitchen and looked over at Mrs. Sanchez. "Anyway, I'm..quite serious when I said I want to help."

Mrs. Sanchez cocked an eyebrow. "Why should I believe that? You went out of your way to have an innocent boy arrested. How do I know you won't do the same for my daughter?"

Mary stared at her, wide-eyed. "I was just trying to..." Mrs. Sanchez noticed a tinge of anger in her voice. Mary seemed to catch herself before she went too far. She cleared her throat again and her demeanor calmed. "Look, I know that I went a little...crazy."

"A little?" Mrs. Sanchez chuckled bitterly. "You terrorized Rudy and you antagonized his parents. And on top of that, you won't acknowledge your daughter's faults." Mary shot her a look. Mrs. Sanchez raised up her hand, silencing her before she could get a word in. "I'm not saying she is a bad person. I don't know her well enough. I know she and that other person kidnapped my daughter, and I'm still angry about that. But I never would have wanted her to get hurt. So don't think I'm glad that Terry is in the hospital." She paused for a moment. Deciding ot break the ice a little and show Mary she did understand and care, she said in a gentler voice, "How is she anyway?"

Mary looked confused, as if she didn't expect her to ask such a question. "She's...doing okay for the most part." She clenched her teeth and turned her head away. "She won't be out for quite a while, though. Especially not with that head injury."

"I see." Mrs. Sanchez said. "I'm sorry to hear that."

Mary looked over at her. "But you are right. She isn't so innocent. I guess I was just...so angry and horrified, that I just wanted to target a scapegoat...and I chose Rudy because he was the one whom my daughter was chasing." She walked slowly over to the table. She pulled out a chair and sat down on it, a glum look on her face. "I know she is going to jail after she recovers. Vinnie, too. They kidnapped someone and I know that's not right." She looked up at Mrs. Sanchez. "But..she's my daughter. I felt like..I had to protect her, you know? You understand, right?"

Mrs. Sanchez's expression softened up. The woman didn't seem like she came her to fight. The more she listened to her, the more sincere she sounded. It really did seem like she was at least regretful and apologetic for what she did, and she was acknowledging that it was her daughter's fault this happened, and that it was wrong to blame Rudy just because she was Terry's mother.

Hearing her speak did help Mrs. Sanchez understand her better. It was clear she loved Terry so much and she must have been so devastated when she found out what happened to her. Any mother would. Mrs. Sanchez knew that if Penny were involved in a horrible accident, she would be an emotional wreck as well. She guessed that Mary's irrational behavior stemmed from her love for Terry. She had simply done what she thought was right to ensure her daughter's safety.

However, that didn't excuse her behavior towards Rudy or his parents. She had been a complete jerk to them, and she was going to need to answer to that. Mrs. Sanchez hoped that Mary would find the time to apologize to them. They certainly deserved an apology from her. And she needed to give one.

"I understand. I have a daughter, too. I know what it's like to be worried about your child, not knowing if they are going to be okay. I am on the same page as you." Mrs. Sanchez said. She motioned a hand to her chest. "I know when Penny was kidnapped by Terry and Vinnie, I was...beside myself. It was such a horrible thing. I was able to find the location because I remembered your daughter's license plate number. But by the time we found them... She had crashed."

Mrs. Sanchez bit her lip at the memory. It was such a horrible sight. She remembered smelling something, as did her friends. They didn't know what it was at first. They were horrified when they recognized it as smoke. They realized it was coming in the same direction as they were headed. She drove the car faster, to the park, and to her horror, the newsvan had been mangled up against the fountain. She and the Tabooties thought their children were still inside. Panicked, they jumped out of the vehicle to find them.

Luckily, their children weren't hurt. They were so relieved when they found them away from the crash, looking relatively unharmed. A little shaken up, but no worse for wear. She felt like screaming for joy, but she stifled herself as she and her friends came towards their children, pulling them into their arms and hugging them. It was only a bit later they realized they were hurt and had them taken to the hospital. She was grateful that Penny's x-rays checked out fine, and that Rudy's back gash didn't turn out to be as serious as they thought.

Continuing, she said, "I was hoping your daughter and her partner would have made it out okay, too. I'm so sorry she got hurt. That's a horrible thing to happen to anyone. Car crashes and all..."

Mary nodded her head. "Indeed they are." She went quiet for a moment. The two women stared at each other. Mrs. Sanchez waiting, noting the woman's expression, knowing there was something more she wanted to say. "Do you...have the Tabooties' number?"

"Yes I do." Mrs. Sanchez gave a nod of the head. "Why? Do you want me to call them over?"

After some more hesitation, the woman nodded her head. "Yeah... I want to talk to them, too." Her head lowered, an expression of shame plastering over it. "I'm...afraid I went way too far, and I didn't even realize it until I spoke to my daughter and brother. I can't believe that... I didn't mean for it to happen this way."

Mrs. Sanchez noted the tone of voice. The woman was distressed about something. This immediately alarmed her. She realized, in an instant, this wasn't just a mere 'getting Rudy arrested' thing. It had gone much deeper than that. Mrs. Sanchez saw the look in the woman's eyes as she stared up at her. It was a haunting look, one that told her that this was very serious, one that required immediate attention.

"What..." Mrs. Sanchez's voice was small. "..what did you do...?" She tried not to sound accusatory, but it slipped out anyway.

Mary flinched at her tone, but she didn't cringe away or turn her head. She raised her head up, an attempt to make herself free brave and confident. "I'll tell you when Rudy's parents get here." She turned her head, casting her glance downward. "They...need to hear this, too."

Mrs. Sanchez wasn't sure what to make of this. It was clear something was very wrong. What did this woman do that made her act this way? What had changed her from being rude and nasty, to being utterly horrified by what she had done? For certain, this was more serious than simply Rudy sitting in a jail cell. No, the woman's tone suggested that Rudy was in for something far worse.

Then she remembered something. She and her daughter had spoken to someone earlier regarding Rudy's arrest. He had mentioned something about Rudy being killed. Mrs. Sanchez didn't take it seriously at the time. Her daughter sure did, though, and she was devastated. Mrs. Sanchez refused to believe that anyone would sent a child to die. She was still shaken up by what was said, and it reflected in her words and tone. She managed to cheer herself up, repeating over and over in her mind that no one would kill anyone as punishment without a trial, and she had done her best to cheer up Penny, but it didn't work.

Now, listening to Mary, Mrs. Sanchez wondered if it really was true. If they were going to kill Rudy, then... Her mind turned to ice when Mary gave her an expression that practically confirmed her suspicions. As the woman lowered her head in shame, Mrs. Sanchez nearly stumbled back, placing a hand on her chest, feeling her heart rate increase. Oh no... Not Rudy..no...

She wasted no time. She shot a glare at the woman, who looked away, obviously feeling guilty, before she rushed up to the phone. She dialed it and held it to her head. It ran a few times. She waited for someone to pick up. As she heard the click, she talked immediately.

"Joe. Millie. Come down to my house right away."

She hung up before her two friends had a chance to say anything. She felt bad, but that guilt was replaced with anger. Slowly, she glared back at Mary. The woman cringed back in her chair, her head low, staring at her with widened eyes. Mrs. Sanchez did her best not to snap at the woman. She knew that would only make things worse.

"You have a lot of explaining to do..." Mrs. Sanchez said sternly.

After a bit of hesitation, Mary said in a small voice. "Yes..I know I do."

sss

Penny grumbled to herself. She couldn't believe her mom sent her up to her room. Of all the times to...

She took in a few quick breaths, calming herself. Her mom was probably just trying to protect her. Neither of them knew what Mary could be up to. She could be lying about wanting to help and had something else up her sleeve. And that was all the more reason why Penny wanted to be down there so badly...

She paced around in her room, her mind swimming with thoughts as she tried to think of something. She glanced at the chalkboard. She clenched her teeth, recalling that she thought about going into ChalkZone while her mom spoke to Mary. But she rejected the idea. For one, she was concerned that something could happen to her mother. Despite being 'just a child', she wanted to remain around in case something went awry. But that wasn't the only reason. What if her mom called for her? She couldn't risk exposing ChalkZone, and after being kidnapped, she didn't want her mom to be devastated again.

Yet, she couldn't just stay up here and wait. She had no idea what was going on down there. She didn't know if Mary had tried to pull something, or if she really was being sincere and wanted to help. Penny found it hard to trust the woman after what she had done. Memories flashed in her head, reminding herself bitterly of what this woman had done to Rudy. Maybe she really did come to help, but until she got proof, she was going to remain cautious of her.

Penny knew her mother was going to be upset with her. But there was no way she was going to sit by and wait for her to get called down. She wanted to be a part of this. She wanted to know what Mary really planned to do. She wanted to be there in case the woman did end up trying something. She might be a kid, but she wasn't one to be underestimated. If that woman made that mistake, she was in for a surprise.

Penny walked towards her door. She placed her hand on the doorknob and opened it slowly. She didn't want to catch her mother's attention. She had good hearing, especially since she had so many animals to tend to, so Penny knew that one wrong step could land her in trouble. She shut the door behind her and headed towards the stairs slowly, taking her time. She remembered the floor squeaked at times, forcing her to step even lighter than before. It was difficult keeping up the slow pace, but soon she reached the stairs and, so far, hadn't made a peep.

Descending the stairs was not as easy, however. Due to the extra bit of gravity involved in going downward, it wasn't as easy controlling her weight as she headed down. Luckily, the stairs didn't squeak and she took care not to make a loud sound everytime her foot cam down. However, she was still worried her mom might hear her, and each time she moved down a step, she would freeze, waiting to hear her mother's voice, or hear her mother coming towards her. When neither happened, she would continue, slowly making her way to the last step at the bottom.

Once she reached the last step, she paused and took in a deep breath. She slowed down her breathing, realizing that, even if her mother may not hear her footsteps, she would likely hear her breathing if she took in too sharp of breaths. Once she felt she had her breathing under control, she made her way towards the kitchen, her back arched, taking light, careful steps.

As she moved towards the kitchen, she could hear talking. She pressed herself against the wall, leaning towards the opening that led into the kitchen, and listened intently.

"Joe. Millie." Penny recognized that as her mother's voice. "Come down to my house right away."

Penny realized that her mother had called Rudy's parents. She wasn't sure if she was the one who had the idea or if Mary requested it. Somehow, she doubt Mary would have done such a thing, so her mother must have been the one to come up with the idea. Penny realized that her mother must have felt Rudy's parents deserved to be here, to talk to this woman who claimed wanted to help.

She heard her mother's voice again. "You have a lot of explaining to do..." From the tone of her voice, her mother sounded angry. She wondered if there had been some kind of fight or disgrunted discussion between the two.

When Mary responded, Penny was somewhat taken aback by what she had to say.

"Yes..I know I do."

Mary's voice.. it didn't sound angry or accusatory, and she didn't detect anything that sounded forced. It did sound quite genuine. The woman's voice had a tone of sadness and regret in it, as if she really did feel sorry for what she did. Penny bit her lip, still uncertain if she could believe the woman wanted to help. And yet... hearing her speak like this, perhaps she should...

Penny didn't get a chance to finish her thought. She nearly jolted when she heard her mother's voice cutting through the air.

"Penita. I know you're there."

Penny flinched. Her mother didn't sound very happy with her. She immediately slouched forward, her expression taking on a guilty look as she stared towards the kitchen's entrance. Having no choice, she reluctantly answered. "Yes..mama..?"

"Come in here." Came her mother's voice.

Slowly, Penny walked into the kitchen. She looked up at her mother, seeing the angered look on her face. Her mother's arms were folded against her chest, her foot tapping on the ground. Penny smiled nervously before lowering her head submissively, twirling her foot against the ground.

Her mom continued to glare at her for a couple more seconds before she said, "I thought I told you to stay in your room."

"I know, mama... But I couldn't just..." Penny tried to say.

"Let her stay." It was Mary who spoke this time. Penny looked over at her in shock. "She has as much a right to be here as you do."

Penny's mom shot the woman a glare, but it quickly softened up. She closed her eyes and let out a soft sigh. "Yeah...you're right." She turned her attention over to Penny. "Mr. and Mrs. Tabootie will be coming over for the discussion."

"Y-Yeah... I kind of overheard that part." Penny said, admitting to eavesdropping.

Her mother nodded her head. "I had a feeling you might have known." She glanced over at Mary, and then back at Penny. Seeming to notice her daughter's uncertain expression, she said, "Don't worry. She didn't come here to cause trouble."

Mary nodded. As if to confirm, she said, "I am really truly sorry for the trouble I brought to your friend. I never meant for things to go this far."

"You mean the whole 'sentencing him to death' thing..?" Penny said, sounding more bitter than she planned.

Mary nodded. "Yes. I didn't want that to happen."

"Let's wait for Mr. and Mrs. Tabootie to get here." Penny heard her mom say. "Then we can begin discussing ideas on what we are going to do to help Rudy."

sss

"Are you absolutely sure?" Nixon asked.

The man before him, his eyes narrowed, nodded his head a couple of times. "For the last time, yes!" He waved a hand in his direction, shooing him away. "Now will you leave? I have important things to attend to."

Nixon narrowed his eyes. He felt his stomach twist in a mixture of emotions. He couldn't believe how difficult this man was being. Was it really that hard to sit down and talk to him for a little while? Was it hard for him to listen to what he had to say? He hadn't been in here for five minutes and already the man was telling him to get out so he could work on some stupid paperwork.

He found it difficult to control his anger. He had come in here to right a wrong, and this man was keeping him from doing that. It took all his strength not to lunge at the man and grab him by his throat, an act that was very tempting right now. He stood there in front of the man's desk, grinding his teeth against each other.

"Listen, sir..." He spoke through his clenched teeth. "It's real important that I talk to you about Rudy..."

"Oh yes, Rudy. The sociopath." The man said. Nixon winced at this. "What about him? Did you want to speed up the schedule? I can do that."

"What?! No!" Nixon cried.

"Too late." The man gave an emotionless smile as he took the pain and made a few scratches here or there. "It's been moved up to tomorrow. Glad to be of service."

Nixon's breathing increased. His face paled. This...this isn't what he wanted. No... He didn't come here to kill Rudy. He came here to free him. Ever since he got the call from his sister, he felt horribly guilty. He didn't realize what he was doing until it was too late. Even though he told his sister it wasn't going to be easy, he decided that he should at least try. No harm would have come out of it, right?

Well he had been proven wrong when this wretched man upped Rudy's execution schedule to tomorrow. How...how could he do that...? Was this man really that cold that he would throw away a life, even a child's? He took in a few shaky breaths, glaring hatefully at the man. He wanted to say something else to him, but he kept his mouth shut, fearful that the man would do something else.

The man, who was the lead warden in the prison he sent Rudy to, merely smiled at Nixon. From his expression, it was clear he knew exactly what he was doing. A thought that filled Nixon with bitterness.

"I'll have you know that no one ever gets out of my jail. I have a reputation to keep, you know..." The lead warden said. He turned his head towards one of the cabinets behind him. He gestured upwards. "You see this?" Nixon could see some kind of gold statue. "That is the award I got for having the most permanent residents and...death row inmates..."

Nixon grimaced as he looked at the statue. He had no idea they handed out awards like that. How revolting. "What does that have to do with Rudy?"

"Well...my reputation is very important to me. If I let Rudy go, I won't win this year's award."

Nixon shot the warden a glare. "You care more about that stupid award than justice?!"

The lead warden chuckled at this. "Eh, all the prisoners are the same to me." He waved his hand dismissively. "Once you've seen one, you've seen them all." He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know why you're so upset. Not like someone you know is in my prison." There was emphasize on the word 'my', which served to anger Nixon more.

"You..." Nixon started to say.

"Now go on. You wasted enough of my time." The lead warden puffed up his chest in pride. "I need to make sure everything is in tip top shape for my well deserved award..."

Wrinkling his nose in disgust, Nixon pointed an accusatory finger in the warden's direction. "You're disgusting! This isn't over, you hear?!"

The leader warden merely cocked up an eyebrow and chuckled in amusement. He waved his hand goodbye, as if he were just making some friendly conversation. Nixon growled at this and turned his back to the man. He stomped out of the roo, slamming the door behind him. If that man won't help, he'll try something else.

sss

Mary winced as Mrs. Tabootie glared straight at her. She tried to turn her gaze away, but found it impossible. It was like the woman shot out a tractor beam from her eyes, holding them in place. She could see the woman's shivering, a sign of just how angry she was with her. Instincts were telling the woman to get out of here, that she was unwanted, and just to let them handle it. Yet...she found that she just could not do that. Not until she was certain she fixed what she had broken.

Mary nodded her head, acknowledging the parents' distrust with her, and the harsh words they had spoken to her. "I understand how you feel. I'm a parent as well and I..."

"Do you think that makes it alright for you to..." Mrs. Tabootie started to say. She was silenced when Mr. Tabootie put his hand on her shoulder. He gave her a firm glare, silently telling her to be quiet. He turned his attention to Mary and nodded his head for her to continue.

"As I said, I understand what you're going through. I am a mother, and when I saw what happened to my daughter, I just..." Mary lowered her head. She closed her eyes, her mind flashing images of what horrific accident. She bit her lip, feeling her heart twist. She would never forget that. "No parent should have to see that." She lifted up her head and stared in the Tabooties' direction. "To believe me, I understand what you're going through. Potentially losing a child is...horrible..."

"Why did you do that?" Mr. Tabootie asked. Though he looked and sounded somewhat calm, Mary was no fool. She could hear a subtle difference in his voice that told her he was doing his best to control his anger. "If you really do understand, why did you have our son get the death penalty?"

"I didn't. That's what I was trying to tell you before you two interrupted me." Mary recalled, with some annoyance, how she had tried to explain the situation, but the parents interrupted her, and ripped her apart audibly about her treatment of Rudy, and accused her of doing it on purpose. Now it was time to set that record straight. "I never meant for that to happen." She placed a hand against her upper chest. "I only wanted to teach him a lesson. I never wanted him to be killed. Trust me, I feel bad about that."

"And what about how you acted before with Rudy?" Mrs. Tabootie snarled. From her expression, it was clear she was remembering when she had walked in on her threatening Rudy.

At this, Mary clenched her teeth, lowering her gaze. "...Yeah, I feel regret towards that, too. I had a talk with my daughter and..well..." She met the woman's gaze. "You and your husband were..right. Terry didn't appreciate my efforts to help her. She insisted it was..her fault it happened, and she threw in rationality into the situation that I hadn't thought of before." Mary's heart clenched, feeling awful about how she forced herself to see only one side of the picture and reduced Rudy's efforts as ways of hurting her daughter, instead of just him trying to survive. "I'm...I'm sorry...about how I treated your son. I'm so sorry."

At this confession, the Tabooties' expressions softened up. They still glared at her. It was clear they were still angry. But they also seemed to accept her apology, and understood that she really was regretful over her actions. They remained quiet for a bit, though, as if they thought she was going to say something else to ruin the moment. When she said nothing, Mr. Tabootie decided to break the silence.

"So...how are you going to help us get Rudy back?"

Mary froze at this question. She was not surprised it was asked. She knew that this question would be brought up eventually. But it still caught her offguard, as she didn't have an answer for it yet. She was still trying to figure out exactly how to help Rudy. She did have a previous thought, but the phone call to her brother dashed that chance.

She glanced over at Mrs. Sanchez and her daughter, Penny. They had gone silent when the Tabooties came, and hung back, allowing her to discuss things with the parents. Before Joe and Millie had arrived, Mary spoke with Inez about what she could do. The woman didn't have any ideas that seemed like they could work. Mary didn't have control over the police. She manipulated her brother, which she felt bad for, but only her brother would listen to her. If he couldn't do anything, then there wasn't much she could do.

Still, something had to be one. There had to be a way to right this wrong. Rudy didn't belong in the jail. He belonged back home with his parents. The only one who could probably give her any kind of advice is her brother, and he doesn't have much influence over the person who runs the jail. She hadn't had a chance to speak to her brother yet after she spoke to him on the phone. Perhaps she should have called him over so they could all speak to gether. Perhaps he would have something else they could try.

After sometime of thinking, there was something that came to her mind. She wasn't sure if it could work. She wasn't sure if she could convince the lead warden of the jail to allow it. Even with pressure from the public, would he cave in? How stubborn was this warden? But if they could have something like this done... Maybe it could help prove Rudy's innocense and get him out of there.

But before she could even suggest the idea, she would need her brother over. He was the chief of police. He would know if this was the best course of action or not. And out of everyone she knows, he would be the best one to ask in how to get this all set up. They couldn't afford mistakes; if this flopped, then she could have unintentionally made things worse for the boy. After the trouble she caused him, she didn't want to bring about a whole slew of other problems.

Mary turned her head so she could look at Mrs. Sanchez. "Do you mind if I speak to my brother?"

Mrs. Sanchez looked at her in confusion. She tilted her head slightly to one side. She shared a quick, confused glance with her daughter before saying, "Why?"

"He's the chief of police. He would be able to provide insight for me." Mary said.

"Wait..." Mr. Tabootie cut her off. "Isn't he the one who dragged away Rudy...?" Mary nodded her head at this. Mr. Tabootie narrowed his eyes. "Can't he just get Rudy out then, since he's the one who put him in there?"

Mary shook her head. "As he said, it's not that simple. Rudy was sent to a jail my brother does not run."

"Then what good is it to bring him over?" Mrs. Tabootie sounded skeptical.

"Because his knowledge of the police would be a great asset. I don't know if my plan will work or not. So I need to speak to him." Mary looked at everyone in the room, making sure they were all paying attention to what she had to say. "If he thinks it can work, then we can set about..."

"What are you planning?" Penny chimed in, speaking up for the first time since Rudy's parents arrived.

Mary stared at the little girl. She could see the determination in her eyes. She could see the worry reflecting in her body, the desire to help her friend, to get Rudy back. Even if she hadn't spoken to the girl before, just looking at her would have revealed she was a devoted friend. The girl's expression told of a thousand failures in trying to figure a way to get Rudy out of jail. Well not literally, but she could tell the girl's gears had been grinding.

She couldn't help but smile lightly at this. Maybe Penny's determination would come in handy. Maybe with her help, they could make this work. Even if her plan involved extra work, it might be the only true way to get Rudy out of jail.

Mary, not wanting to keep the others hanging for long, knowing they really wanted an answer, uttered a single word. A word that was simple, and yet meant something so powerful, implied so many things. A word that could lead to multiple implications, that could be the boy's savior...or his persecutor.

"Trial."

At this, everyone in the room gasped, looking at her in shock. There was confusion, uncertainty, and worry that filled the aura of the room. Mary was not at all surprised by this reaction. A trial was a major thing and many things could go wrong. Still..what other choice did they have?

"A t-trial...? Are you sure about that?" Mrs. Sanchez asked, holding her hand out in gesture. "Surely there must be something else that..."

"It's the only way. Unless my brother can work miracles and convince the warden to let him go...and I'll ask him about that when he gets here, a trial may be our only chance in getting the boy back. We have to prove his innocense." Mary explained, her eyes narrowed in determination. She looked at the confused and apprensive people in the room and continued, "I will call my brother up. When he gets here, we'll clear things up so there'll be no foul ups."

"I'm not sure if..." Mr. Tabootie started to say, but he never got a chance to finish. Mary had already gone towards Mrs. Sanchez's house phone and had begun calling her brother again.

sss

"What...? Are you sure you can't do it?" Mary asked, her eyes wide as she stared at her brother.

Nixon looked at her sadly. He understood why she was upset. Well, not just her, but the others. He wished he could say something better, but all he could do was admit the truth. He raised his shoulders up, slowly shook his head, and spoke the words he knew none of them wanted to hear. "I'm sorry, but it's out of my hands. I have tried, but that man...he just wouldn't listen."

Mr. Tabootie growled at this, his gaze shifting towards the ground. "I can't believe that bastard is willing to do such a thing..."

"And all just for fame, too." Mrs. Tabootie finished, bitterness clinging to her tongue.

Nixon looked at the parents sympathetically. Seeing them like this, hearing their reactions, it made him feel even worse when he dragged Rudy into the mess. He has a little angry with his sister, but he was as much to blame. He was the one who spoke a lie or two that made things a lot worse then they could have been. He was the one who found a way to get Rudy sent to a more high security prison. He had just been trying to proect his sister, as she was protecting her daughter, but he saw just how wrong he had been.

He really did want to fix things. When he had arrived, his sister had hoped that something had changed and he knew how to get Rudy out faster. She had asked about talking to the lead warden, and this caused him to flinch. The others had noticed his change in expression, and he was forced to explain the whole thing to them. It was not easy telling them what the lead warden said, those cold words that showed how little he cared for human life, but in the end, it was better he told them. It was best they knew what they were up against.

He looked around, seeing their expressions. He could see just how disgusted they were with this head warden he spoke to. The idea of anyone valuing some stupid statue over the life of another human being was deplorable. This was not something that would be approved of by most people. It was an absolutely disgusting trait, and Nixon shivered to think that such a man was in charge of the jail. He began to wonder just how many people in there were actually innocent, but unable to leave because of this corrupt man.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head and he could see Mary standing there. She stared at him, into his eyes. It was almost like she was reading his mind, probing it, hoping that he had something else he could say. He merely lowered his gaze, turning his head away from her. He really did wish he could bring better news, but if she wanted help getting Rudy back, she was better off going somewhere else.

"Are you sure there's no way you can help?" Mary asked.

"I'm sorry, but the lead warden won't listen to me." Nixon said.

"I know. You already said that. But still...there has to be a way, right?" Mary asked hopefully. Nixon stared at her sadly, not bothering to answer. Mary clenched her teeth, sucking in a breath. "I mean, if we can at least get a trial going..."

Nixon shot her a look. "Do you really think the warden will allow a trial? I may have lied to Rudy about how much influence I had over such things, but it is true that the lead warden could do such a thing. He can dig up dirt that would ensure Rudy stays there."

"But..it is so unfair." Penny interjected. "They can't kill Rudy without a trial. That's just...wrong..."

Mrs. Sanchez placed a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder. She looked at her sympathetically before turning to stare at Nixon. "I know the people of the city would not approve of this." Her voice was stern, but also a tad shaky, as though the realization of how the lead warden was had rocked her to her core. "There has to be a way to get a trial through. This lead warden you speak of..he can't have that much control, right?"

"You underestimate him." Nixon gritted his teeth. "He has strong ties to a lot of other, more powerful people..."

There was silence in the room. He needn't say more in order for the adults, and the girl, to understand the full magnitude of this. Their horrified expressions said all there is that needed to be stated.

"S-So...that's how he can..." Mr. Tabootie couldn't say anymore. His legs shook slightly, and he had to lean against the wall for support.

His wife looked no better. "There...really is nothing we can..." She then shook her head rapidly. "No..there has to be a way! There just has to!"

"I agree with you, Millie." Mrs. Sanchez nodded in the direction of the large, blonde woman. "Just because this man has connections to these people..it doesn't mean they are shielded. They were only few, and you know how it is with people in power. In a small area, like the city we live in, if there's enough disapproval, then they lose the power they once wielded."

"That is correct." Penny said. There was a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "If we can show them just what kind of man this..this warden is..."

"Then he would lose power." Mr. Tabootie said, his voice tinging on hopefulness.

Nixon's eyes widened in realization at this. He could feel his heart swelling as he listened to the words spoken. He didn't say anything. He allowed the adults to clamor excitedly about this idea. As he listened to them, and their words, he began to feel stupid. Why hadn't he thought of this before? Why didn't he think of that when he walked out of the lead warden's office? If he had just thought things through more...

They were right... They were absolutely right. The lead warden wouldn't have as much power, and neither would any people connected to him, if their corruption were exposed. If they could prove that, somehow, then they could force them to bend to their whim, and let not only Rudy go, but anyone else they may have wronged.

But..how were they going to do that? How would they succeed in exposing these men? Well..there was one thing that might work. If Nixon could get in contact with the lead warden and sneak a recording, he could gain enough evidence from that. But the man would be suspicious, wouldn't he? And what if he had ways of figuring out there are hidden devices? No, he was going to need something else. Maybe Penny and her mother would have an idea. They seem smart enough. They could figure out something, he was certain.

He could feel a warm sensation in his chest. Knowing that he may have a trump card over that wretched warden...the feeling of that was indescribable. It was such a great feeling, knowing that he may be able to have the last laugh. He just wished he thought of it sooner. As soon as the people of the city find out what he has been up to, they would drop support fast. Then the lead warden and his 'friends' would need to contend with that.

But first...they would need a plan. A way to pull this off. He still hadn't figured that part out yet. If they could just think of something...

...suddenly an idea hit him. His eyes flashed, a smile stretching across his face. He whipped his head in the direction of the chattering adults. Upon seeing him, they closed their mouths, going silent, and waited for him to speak.

"I've got it! I know what we can do!"

The others got closer to him, looking at him in excited silence. His sister moved to his side, placing her hands on his shoulders and staring at him with an expression of apprehensive hope.

"What's your plan?" Mary asked.

Nixon looked at his sister, and then at the others. They were waiting for him, listening intently to anything he had to say. Nixon didn't reply right away. He knew this plan could backfire easily. But if they succeeded...the reward was so great. He had to word his sentences carefully. Taking in a deep breath, preparing himself, he narrowed his eyes as he turned to face everyone else in the kitchen.

"Here's what we need to do..."

sss

Synclair leaned back in his chair, his fingers interlocking together, his elbows on the desk. A smile was spread across his face. He stared forward, not looking at anything in particular. He was lost in his thoughts. He couldn't help but feel joy rising up inside of his chest. This was going to be quite a joyous day, indeed.

He thought back to the incidents that played out the other day. He couldn't helpt but shake his head, wondering just how that stupid man thought he could convince him to do the one thing he would never do: let a prisoner go.

Did he not understand the value of reputation? Did he not understand how important it was to keep up his image? To make sure that everyone knew that his jail was the place where you would never get out of? Synclair knows it might sound cold to care more about a trophy than a life, but in the end, it didn't matter how many people he cared for. That's not what made an impact in this world. It was the statements he made, the marks that he left with people. That's what truly mattered in the end.

And that was why the trophy was important to him. To make sure everyone knew who he was, and what he was capable of. He wanted everyone to know that his prison was a one way street. Everyone in here was going to stay here. True, some like that kid Rudy didn't belong here. They weren't that bad of criminals to deserve this fate. But it didn't matter. Once they were here, they stayed here. And whoever was on death row remained there, regardless of their innocense or not. He would lose the trophy if he let it out that some of the prisoners were innocent. And if he lost the trophy, he'd lose his reputation, his credibility... He was not going to lose that.

Yet this man, this Nixon person.. He thought he could get away with telling him what to do. The man came in here the other day, ranting and raving about the mistake he made, and pleaded with him to let Rudy go. He gave a whole slew of reasons why the boy should be set free. And while he did sympathize with the man on some small level, and though he understood how terrible it must be to be wrongfully imprisoned, he did not let up on his sentence. In fact, he taught the man a lesson by moving Rudy's sentence forward. Nixon stormed off, promising it wasn't the end.

Indeed it wasn't. Nixon came back earlier to try to speak with him. He didn't meet up in this room, in his office. Instead, they had an encounter in a different part of the prison. The interrogation room to be precise. Synclair had got in there to talk to one of his inmates about a crime he had committed in order to get more information regarding his partner. It was not long after he was finished with the man that Nixon came in without warning. Synclair was surprised at how bold the man was as he marched up towards him. He remained quiet as Nixon began to speak with him again.

Synclair couldn't help but feel annoyed and frustrated when Nixon tried again to plead to have Rudy out. He had even tried to ask him why he wouldn't let Rudy out, why he felt the trophy was so important. Synclair rolled his eyes at this. It was clear that, no matter how many times he would tell Nixon, the man simply wouldn't see reason. He was too closed minded, and didn't fully grasp how powerful, how important reputations truly are. And if he refused to see that...well there was no helping him.

Synclair felt a sense of pride welling up in his chest. He felt proud of himself for being able to ward off Nixon a second time. He had managed to rip apart any attempt the man made to get him to let Rudy go. He had successfully defended himself and his jail, ensuring him the award that would keep up the reputation and image. If he were in a more jolly mood, he'd be laughing right now.

But he couldn't do that. Not yet. He needed to look presentable. The people who were coming to inspect his jail were going to be here soon. He looked down at the watch wrapped around his wrist. It was getting close to when Rudy was going to be executed. He wondered if the boy even knew when that would happen. He chuckled to himself. Despite knowing that the boy didn't deserve it, he had to admit, it was going to be a lot of fun seeing the look in the boy's eyes when he was taken to be killed. Never before had a 'criminal' his age been executed here. He hoped that the inspectors would arrive in time to see that. It would be a marvelous spector to behold, one that would solidify the toughness of his jail.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a knock on the door. He smiled. He knew it was them. He cleared up his throat and pounded his chest, making sure that his voice didn't break up as he spoke. "Come on in!"

The doors opened up, revealing one person. Synclair's eyes widened in shock and anger at who it was. He gritted his teeth, watching as the person walked towards him slowly, deliberately. Synclair did his best to control his anger, yet it was hard to completely hide the fact. His gnashing of teeth certainly gave away his demeanor. The person knew this too, judging from that arrogant smirk.

"Hello there..." The man said coolly, knowing full well that he was driving him insane.

"Nixon?! What are you doing here?!" Synclair snarled. He stood out of his seat and slammed his palms against the desk. "I have an important meeting in a few minutes! If you aren't out of here when they come...!"

Nixon chuckled at this. "Oh don't worry. This won't take long."

Synclair was confused. His expression softened up, confusion reflecting in his eyes. What was the man up to? Why did he suddenly seem so...happy and confident? This wasn't the same attitude Nixon had shown before. Earlier, he could see anger and frustration. He could see that the man knew there was nothing he could do to save Rudy.

But this...this was different. His whole demeanor had changed. He now had a look that told Synclair that things were going to turn out different this time. Despite the fact that he knew there was hardly a thing the man could do, Syncliar couldn't help but feel apprehensive about the whole thing. He gritted his teeth as he leaned back against his chair, watching as Nixon approached his desk. He could feel his heart beginning to fill with a stingy feeling. Despite that, he refused to show weakness to the man. He leaned forward again, forming fists with his hands and narrowing his eyes.

"I don't know why you keep trying, Nixon. I already told you I'm not letting Rudy go." Synclair said through clenched teeth. He did little now to hide the anger from Nixon. "You have no right to come in here on the day I am going to get the trophy..or award or whatever you like to call it. I need to be ready for them. If they find you in here, they may wonder about my credentials. Now get lost before I..."

Nixon raised his hand, silencing him. "I do understand, believe me. However...I do feel you should listen to what I have to say this time." Nixon gave a knowing grin, flashing a look at Synclair that gripped him, made it hard to look away. "I do think you would want to see this..."

Synclair watched as Nixon put his hand onto his pocket. His pupils moved about, staying on target with the hand as it pulled something out. It appeared to be a small disc of some kind. A tiny DVD that looked like it belonged to one of those old gaming systems. Nixon held it up, placing his finger through the center hole. He twirled his hand around, letting Synclair get a nice long look at it.

Noting his confused expression, Nixon said, "I do believe you might wonder what this is.. Well I'll tell you. Remember when I came to you in the interrogation room and spoke to you?" Synclair didn't answer. He simply narrowed his eyes, waiting for him to continue. "Well, I took the liberty of taking full advantage of an interrogation room. You do recall that the mirror there is a one-way, right?"

At this, Synclair's eyes widened. He quickly shook his head. "Y-You don't have proof! No one can hear anything! They..."

"I have sound, too." Nixon said, his face beaming with pride. "I had some audio things hooked up to me. Of course, they were under my clothes so you couldn't see them. The sound is a bit distorted, but they work just fine. Thanks to some...friends of mine, I was able to obtain what I want, and put it on this disk." Nixon held it up. "Once the public gets a load of this, they..."

Synclair didn't give the man a chance to finish. Not wanting to risk losing his reputation, he rushed forward and grabbed the disc. He yanked it away from Nixon. Grinning almost insanely, he snapped the disc in half and threw it on the ground. He stomped on it until it shattered to many pieces. Synclair panted heavily, staring down at the mess that he had caused. Grinning, he tilted his head up and looked over at Nixon, staring at him straight in the eyes.

"What now, smartass?" Synclair said with a smile. "Without your precious evidence, you can't prove a damn thing." He knew he got Nixon right where he wanted him. This meeting was going to end just like the other two did. Nixon was going to walk away empty handed, and his victory was going to be assured.

But this time, Nixon just kept smiling. Synclair felt unnerved by this. He bared his teeth and took a step back. What was he so damn happy about? Why did he keep looking at him with that expression? What...what did he do...?

"Oh you would like to thing it's over, eh?" Nixon chortled. "Well I had to disappoint you..." He folded his arms against his chest. "But I have multiple copies of that." Synclair snapped his head back in shock. "Each of my friends have a copy, and you don't know who my friends are, so you can't find and destroy all of them. They are all set to send their copies in within two hours if you don't give in to our demands."

Synclair's heart beat against his chest. He looked left and right, trying to think of a way out of this. He had been through tough scraps before. He..he would get out of this..somehow. He was Synclair, the man in charge of the toughest jail in the city. He..he was not going to allow his reputation to be torn apart. He couldn't let Rudy go. No..this man couldn't make him...

Synclair grinned evilly. "You can't make me do anything..."

Nixon tilted his head to the side. "Is that so? Well then..I guess you don't mind if my friends send their copies in?" He turned his head towards the clock. He watched the second hand for a few seconds before turning his attention back to Synclair. "I do have to wonder what your...inspectors will think if they find out you kept up your reputation due to fraud. What will they think...once they see that tape? What will the public think when they realize just what kind of cruel man you really are..?" Nixon's voice darkened at this.

Synclair took in a few quick breaths, a horrified expression plastering over his now paled face. He took a step back, his body shaking in emotion. "Y-You can't... You can't do this to me...!"

"I am willing to keep quiet about your...dirty little secret..." Nixon said, narrowing his eyes dangerously. "..if you let Rudy go... Otherwise, everyone in town is going to see who you really are. The choice is up to you, Synclair."

Synclair gulped at this. He lowered his head in submission, realizing he had been beat. "...fine. You win."


	19. The End Of A Nightmare

“Oh Rudy...I’m so glad you’re safe!” Mrs. Tabootie hugged Rudy tightly, as if afraid to let go. She nuzzled her son against his face, tears of joy moving down her cheeks. “I-I was so worried...”

Rudy squirmed a bit. “Hey mom...I missed you too but...could you please not squeeze me so tightly?” He jerked a bit from side to side. “You’re...making it hard for me to...breathe...” His eyes widened, his teeth clenching, as he struggled to take in another breath.

Mrs. Tabootie immediately released her grip on her son. She put a hand to her mouth, staring at Rudy in horror. “Oh my word...I’m so sorry!”

Rudy grunted as he rubbed his throat. “It’s...okay, mom.” He took in a couple of breaths, sucking the air through his teeth. “I’m fine. Really.”

“You didn’t have a hard time here, did you?” Mr. Tabootie asked.

Rudy froze at this, hesitating to answer. He looked up at his father, wondering how he should answer that. He certainly didn’t want to lie, but at the same time, he wasn’t sure if he was ready to begin talking about his experience in jail. Even though no one had tried to harm him, there were was still an occasional harsh comment tossed his way that made him shudder. There were some pretty cruel people in there. He had to wonder just how Mr. Wilter could tolerate it so much.

Then again, Mr. Wilter might have just been hiding his feelings really well, probably to make himself appear stronger in front of him. Rudy had no one to comfort him but Mr. Wilter. He was still angry at him and he knew that wouldn’t change for a long time. But he was still grateful his old teacher was there, and he was glad that they had reconciled. He know had a more complete picture of what happened and he could rest assured that it won’t happen again.

He still felt bad that Mr. Wilter had to stay there. Well at least it’s only until the trial came. He was going to be sure to be there. He felt a tinge of guilt, since he knew that his testimony would definitely convict Wilter, but there wasn’t much of a choice. Besides, Wilter was already going to turn himself in anyway. His teacher would be understanding if he ended up testifying against him, wouldn’t he...?

Rudy decided to put that on the backburner for now. He wanted to go back to ChalkZone and check up on Snap. While there, he and Penny could discuss their next course of action and how they should handle the trial.

Not wanting to make his father wait any longer, Rudy broke the silence. “It was...something. An experience.” At this, his parents’ eyes widened in horror. Realizing what he had done, Rudy waved his hands out in front of him, shaking his head from side to side rapidly. “N-No! I didn’t mean it like that!” He gave a quick, nervous chuckle. “I just meant that...well...I...” His voice trailed off, uncertain of how to continue.

He felt his father’s hand on his shoulder. “Oh don’t worry about it, son. We’ll worry about that detail later. Right now, we should get going home.”

“Yeah. I bet you’re hungry. Would you like some soup?” His mother looked down at him, her eyes still shimmering with tears. She smiled, but it looked a little forced. It was clear she was trying to look happier for her son to help soothe him.

Rudy thought for a moment. He hadn’t eaten in many hours, save for the scraps of food he got for breakfast, and he could feel his stomach growling. He wasn’t exactly in the mood for soup, but he also didn’t really feel like thinking too hard on what to eat. So he gave a swift nod of the head and said, “Yeah... thanks.”

Rudy was glad that he was going to leave this building. He hated it here. He hated everything about it. It just..didn’t feel right. Something about it.... There was something definitely wrong with it. It didn’t feel like a normal jail. He couldn’t figure out exactly how, but it was as though the place had an aura, a stench of death and injustice. He wasn’t sure what it was about the place... and perhaps he was just overreacting. Still, he wanted to get out of here and fast.

He was still shaken up by the death penalty he nearly recieved. His head still echoed with the words those darn cops said to him, how he was a sociopath and how he needed to be killed for the good of society. Cold chills ran down his spine as he realized that they had nearly gotten away with killing an innocent person. They had tried to force the death on him without a fair trial, a fact that made his blood boil, and freeze over at the same time. The sooner he was out of this place, the better he was going to feel.

Mr. Wilter had tried his best to comfort him. He had spoke to him gently, giving him promises Rudy knew he couldn’t keep, yet Mr. Wilter said them anyway in an attempt to comfort him. Despite knowing the man couldn’t do a damn thing no matter how hard he tried, it did succeed in helping Rudy be at least a little calm. Being with Wilter was the only light present in that building of darkness.

When his parents had come..it felt like a dream come true. He didn’t even realize it was reality at first. He thought he had simply fallen asleep, and as soon as one of his parents would touch him, he’d wake up back to the nightmare. He had to pinch himself to make him realize that it really was reality, and that his parents had come to bring him home. He remembered the overjoyed yelp he made, and how he had rushed to his parents and gave them a hug. He held on for a while, cementing in his head that he wasn’t dreaming, and soon, he’d be home, away from this gawd forsaken place.

Rudy took one last look around the office he was in. He winced at all the details, which were sharp and pointy and dark in coloration, further cementing what a terrible place this really was. Even the person in the front, whom his parents had to speak to get Rudy out, didn’t seem so friendly. The way she looked down at him with an almost condenscending look...it made Rudy shudder. It felt as though she was going to stretch her body down and peck him with that crooked, pointy nose of hers.

“L-Let’s get out of here...” Rudy whispered in a low voice. “I..don’t want to be here anymore.”

“I know you don’t.” Mrs. Tabootie said, stroking her son’s hair. “Don’t worry. We’ll be out of here soon and it’ll be all over.”

Rudy nodded his head. As he followed his parents towards the door, there was one thing he wanted to know. He looked up at his father and asked, “How did you guys...?”

“Well, we had a little help.” Mr. Tabootie replied.

Noting his parents’ expressions, Rudy couldn’t help but feel confused. “What kind of help...?” He asked somewhat hesitantly.

“You’ll find out soon, don’t worry.” Mr. Tabootie said before going silent.

Rudy wasn’t sure what his parents were talking about. He had overheard the inmates talk about how stubborn the lead warden here was. He found it hard to believe his parents had found someone who could help, despite the fact that here he was, stepping out of the wretched building. But he decided to let it go for now. As his dad said, he’ll soon find out.

His dad opened up the door, pushing it wide open. Rudy was suddenly greeted by the noon sunlight. He hissed, shutting his eyes tightly, and turned his head away. It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the light. Slowly, he turned his head and reopened his eyes. He took a look around, taking in the sight of gravel, of cars parked, the buildings, and a blue sky. Rudy never thought he’d be so happy to see any of this.

He walked behind his parents as they headed towards the family car. It was parked not far, near the grassy edge that began the small field, before it terminated into more concrete that made up the building next to this one.

As they got closer, he couldn’t help but notice something. There was a car parked next to theirs. Some kind of dark red one, sleek and looking pretty new, except for a couple of scratches. The lights were on, and he could see someone moving inside. Despite not knowing who it was, Rudy felt compelled to freeze as the person opened up their door. His parents stopped abruptly and turned their heads. Rudy looked over as the person stepped out of the car.

Rudy felt his heart skip a beat when he saw who it was. He felt a slight tremble as Mary emerged from the vehicle, walking around her car and turned her attention on him. Her expression didn’t seem to be malicious like it was before, but her presence..it was enough to make him back away.

“Don’t worry, Rudy. She is the reason we were able to get you out.” His mother assured him. “Well..part of the reason.”

“We’ll explain more on the way back.” His dad promised.

“Oh Rudy...” Mary said as she approached the clearly frightened child. His parents remained close to provide some comfort for him. Mary lowered herself onto one knee, bringing herself down to Rudy’s level. She stared at Rudy, meeting his eyes. “I’m...” She bit her lip. “I’m so...so sorry for the way I treated you. I’m sorry I had you arrested. I’m sorry I accused you of...trying to kill my daughter...” She lowered her gaze, taking in a shaky breath. “It wasn’t right of me.”

Rudy couldn’t help but stare at the woman in shock. He wasn’t expecting any kind of apology from her. A part of him wasn’t sure if he wanted to believe her words, especially with the way she had treated him. But her tone, and her expression...it did feel quite genuine. It was difficult to fake something like this.

Then she placed a hand on his shoulder. He jolted, not expecting her to touch him. He looked down at the hand nervously, half-expecting her to grab him and lift him up. When that didn’t happen, he managed to calm himself before looking back at the woman.

“I understand if you don’t forgive me. But at least understand that I really am sorry for what I’ve done to you.” Mary said, her eyes filling with more sadness and guilt. “I never wanted you to die. When I found out, I...I felt so awful.. I didn’t want this... I’m so very sorry...” With that, she suddenly slung her arms around his body and pulled him close. “I’m so sorry...”

Rudy’s body stiffened up at this sudden hug. His parents looked surprised, but they did nothing to stop her. Rudy’s heart sped up a little, but, thanks to his parents calmness of the situation, he managed to get himself to settle down before he did anything drastic. He wasn’t sure what to do at first. He just stood still as this woman, who had caused him misery in the recent past, embraced him apologetically.

Slowly, Rudy began to hug the woman back. He put his arms around her and pressed himself against her. He didn’t see it, but he knew the woman was smiling back. He was still nervous around her, and doing this took all his courage and strength. But the woman did seem truly apologetic for her actions, and the last thing he wanted was any lingering hostility or bitterness. So to solidify and show that he was willing to give her a second chance, he hugged her back.

He wasn’t sure yet if he could forgive her, though. He still had some anger towards her for what she had done, some fear due to the way she had treated him. But for now, the hug spoke volumes, and it was a good first step forward. He would need a bit of time before he could truly forgive her, but as soon as he found it in his heart to do so, he would speak to her.

After a few moments, Mary released him. She moved back, her hands on his shoulders. They stared at each other for a few seconds. Rudy looked into her eyes, trying to see if there was some lingering anger in her eyes. He smiled when he found none. The woman smiled back before stepping away from him, straightening herself up. She brushed herself off, getting the gravel from the ground off her pant legs. She looked at Rudy for a few more seconds before turning to his parents. She cleared her throat before speaking.

“Well I best be on my way.” Mary said. “My daughter is expecting me to visit.”

Mrs. Tabootie nodded her head. “We don’t want to keep you waiting.”

“Tell your daughter we wish her the best of luck.” Mr. Tabootie said, raising his hand up.

Mary smiled at this. “Thank you.” She turned her attention back on Rudy. She paused for a moment, looking like she was deep in thought. Then she took a step towards Rudy and held out her hand in gesture. “Do you plan on visiting Terry?” Rudy tilted his head in confusion at this question. “She would like to speak to you.”

“Me?” Rudy gestured to himself. Mary nodded. Rudy was confused. He hadn’t expected Terry to want to talk to him. Well, except regarding ChalkZone. “Why?”

“I’m not sure, exactly. But I think it has something to do with wanting to apologize to you.” Mary tapped her finger against her chin thoughtfully. “Yes...I do believe that was it.” She pulled out her keys. They clanged together as she twirled them in her finger. “You don’t have to if you aren’t comfortable. But...I would appreciate it if you spoke to her.” With that, Mary entered her car and drove away, leaving behind the family trio.

Rudy stood there, confused by this turn of events. He could see Terry wanting to get more information out of him, despite her condition, but he was surprised at the prospect of her apologizing. He honestly didn’t see that coming. Terry didn’t seem like the type of person who would apologize for anything, instead ignoring them or pushing blame onto others. A part of him wasn’t even sure if he should believe this, that maybe Terry was lying and was just trying to trick him. She would be the type of person to do that.

But then...what if it is true? Maybe it is possible that something made Terry feel guilty, and now she truly regrets her actions. After all, she had gotten herself badly hurt due to her obsession with chasing them down. Perhaps the accident made her see things more clearly and made her realize she was wrong.

Well regardless if it was sincere or not, Rudy still felt like he owed her a visit. He hadn’t meant to harm her. He didn’t mean for her to slam against the fountain. He wanted to say he was sorry to her. He wanted to let her know that he did regret his actions, and that he never meant any real malice towards her. She may have made him angry, and he may see her as his adversary. But..he still owed her an apology. She deserved that much.

“Come on, Rudy. Let’s get going.” He heard his father say as he climbed into the driver’s seat.

“Penny’s waiting back at our house.” His mother said, buckling in her seatbelt. “She is going to be happy to see you.”

“Penny...” Rudy whispered as he stood by the opened backseat door. He may have only been gone for less than a day, but he already missed his friends and family. It felt like he hadn’t seen them in so long. Penny was no exception. He couldn’t wait to see her again. “I missed her.”

“We know, son.” His dad said. “We know.” He turned the key in the ignition, the engine roared to life. They pulled out of the gravel, the rocks clanging against the tires, and drove back out onto the road.

As they drove down the street, Rudy recalled there was someone else he missed.

Snap...

He wondered how he was doing now. He wondered what his prognosis was like. Yeah it’s been only a day, but a lot could happen in a day. He wondered if Snap could use his arm now, even if just a little. He wondered if Snap was walking around more, if his disease was gone, if his fever left him completely. He was glad that Penny was waiting at his house. Not only would it feel good to talk to her again, but he could ask her about Snap and how he has been. She would have a more up to date knowledge regarding his condition, since she would have visited him in his absense.

But it wasn’t just Snap he wanted to visit. After he caught up with his friends and talked to them, there was one other person he wanted to visit. He wanted Penny to come with, though. He didn’t think he could do this on his own.

He needed to speak to Terry. Even though he was uncertain as to what her motivations actually are, he still wanted...no..needed to speak to her. Not just him, but Penny, too. They needed closure, understanding, and the only way to do that was to visit Terry and talk to her. Plus, he still wanted to apologize to her.

After he and Penny visited Snap, they would find a way to the hospital.

sss

“He...he was going to...” Rudy’s voice trailed off. He found it hard to continue. His eyes were wide in shock, his expression showing he was clearly trying to digest this information. He bit his lip, sucking on it. “I-I can’t believe that...”

“Oh Rudy...” Penny looked at him sympathetically. She put his arm around him, pulling him into a partial hug. She was just as horrified as he was. A part of her wondered if she simply misheard. This..this has to be some kind of mistake, right..? Yet...she knew it was true. Their folks wouldn’t lie about this. “I’m so sorry...”

A few tears formed in Rudy’s eyes. He looked over at Penny. He didn’t say a word. He didn’t have to. Penny could read his thoughts. She could see the inner turmoil he was going through. He had been close to dying, but only now did he really realize the full scale of it, why he had gotten close. It was an awful truth that only made him feel worse about the situation. But..he had the right to know. He needed to know. This wasn’t information that could be kept from him.

“I’m sorry to have had to tell you this, Rudy.” Mrs. Sanchez said. She stood not far away, her hands clasped together, a look of regret on her face. “But...it was necessary.” Behind her mom, Penny could see Rudy’s parents looking at them sympathetically. They, too, had participated in telling the uncomfortable story. “At least it’s over now.”

“Yeah...and he won’t ever be able to try to hurt you again...” Penny said to her friend soothingly. She held him closer, running her fingers through his hair. “One day, he will get what he deserves...”

Penny was aware that Synclair was a despicable man. She knew how he cared more about his reputation and stupid trophy than proper justice, and the lives of the real people in his jail. Hearing it be retold still horrified her. She found it hard to believe that anyone could be that cruel. It still twisted her guts that the man is still walking free, but at least they were able to knock him down a peg, and they got Rudy back.

It hurt having to tell Rudy, but he had the right to know. He was understandably frightened. The man nearly had him killed. Synclair was one of the worst human beings she ever met. It wasn’t what he did that disgusted her. It’s what he didn’t do. He knew very well that Rudy didn’t belong there, yet he was not going to do a damn thing to help him. He would have rather let Rudy rot than lift a finger that would ruin his precious reputation. It was absolutely disgusting.

She was glad that Nixon’s plan worked. They weren’t sure if it could have been pulled off, but working together, they managed to make it happen. They were able to obtain the footage they needed to keep Synclair in check. They could very easily show the tape to the public and fulfill their threat anyway despite having Rudy back, but Penny knew they weren’t going to do that. They would keep it around as a trump card, just in case. But they wouldn’t just, out of nowhere, break their promise. No, they were going to be better than Synclair. They will not stoop to his low level.

“He...he tried to have me killed..for some stupid trophy..?” Rudy whimperede, his voice tinged with disbelief.

“I’m afraid so...” Mrs. Sanchez nodded her head solemnly. “I wish I could say it wasn’t true, but I can’t.”

“Nixon told us the whole thing.” Mr. Tabootie said sadly. He turned his head away, his expression a haunted one.

Mrs. Tabootie wiped away a few tears that formed in her eyes. “It’s just terrible.. what..what kind of sick person would...? It just...”

“I know, Millie...” Mr. Tabootie put his arms around his wife. He pulled her crying body against him, trying to comfort her. “It’s...hard for me to believe, too.”

“He moved up my execution...I was going to die today...” Rudy whispered under his breath. His eyes widened, and he looked like he had seen a ghost. “I-I can’t believe...” His body shook harder.

Penny looked at her friend sadly. She couldn’t blame him for being so shaken up at this fact. The execution would have begun about an hour after Rudy’s parents came to pick him up. If they hadn’t managed to best that awful man before that time... She shuddered to think what would have happened. They had been incredibly lucky that their plan worked. They were lucky that Synclair had caved in, and submitted to their demands and released Rudy. So much could have gone wrong...

The important thing was is that Rudy is out of that awful place and he was safe now. She still felt bad for the other wrongfully imprisoned people, but their time would come. She was certain of that. For now, she was just glad to have Rudy back, safe and sound. And she was certain that Synclair would not try another move against him. Should he even think of trying, well..he will have to contend with them. They still have their copies of the footage, and they weren’t afraid to use them. They had that awful man by the neck and they weren’t letting go.

“I still can’t believe...” Rudy’s voice squeaked and trailed off.

Penny looked at her friend sadly. He was still having a hard time digesting this material. She couldn’t blame him. It was one thing for someone like Skrawl to try to kill him out of a personal grudge. But for some reason, having someone callously let him die was more nerve wracking. It was just..hard to believe anyone could do that without hesitation. The man was so willing to...

Shaking off the anger, Penny did her best to comfort her friend. “It’s okay. He’s not going to get you again. I promise...”

Rudy took in a shaky breath. “Are you sure...?”

“Positive. He wouldn’t dare try to pull a stunt like that again.” Penny whispered to him, nuzzling her head against his. At this, the parents looked at them sadly, each offering the best smile they could. “It’s all over now.”

Rudy hugged her tighter, his body trembling. He opened his mouth to speak. He quickly shut it. Emotion overwhelmed him. It had been only half an hour since he was told of what he was nearly put through, and it would take a longer time before he would settle down. Penny would be there for him, as would their parents. They were going to be here for him. They were going to show him that everything was going to be okay.

As she continued to hug him, Penny thought of something that would definitely cheer Rudy up. Taking care to make sure that their parents did not hear, she whispered softly into Rudy’s ear. “Do you want to visit Snap after this?”

Rudy swallowed hard, letting out a soft whimper. Between sniffles, he gave a slight nod, enough for her to detect, but not for their parents to react to.

“Okay, Rudy.” She whispered to him. “We’ll visit him very soon. He’ll be happy to see you.”

Rudy gave another slight nod. He whispered in an equally quiet voice. “Yeah...I’ll be happy to see him, too.”

Penny smiled at this. They both went quiet after that. Penny continued holding onto the trembling Rudy, allowing him to unleash his emotion and cope with the horrible truth of what that jail and its warden was like, and what he nearly went through. As she did this, their parents came closer, looking at them sympathetically. One by one, they joined in the hug, and Penny soon found herself and Rudy embraced in a warm hug with their parents. She smiled at this. Yes, things were going to be looking up after this. She knew it would.

sss

A couple hours later, Rudy and Penny arrived at the ChalkZone hospital. They had remained with Rudy’s parents and Penny’s mom for a short time, discussing what they were going to do, especially in regard to attending the trial for Mr. Wilter. After a while, their parents decided to let them go up to the bedroom to let everything sink in. Rudy and Penny knew their parents would spend quite a bit of time talking amongst each other, so they took this chance to head into ChalkZone.

It didn’t take them long to reach the hospital after that. They stood right outside its doors, leaning their heads back and looking up. They took note of just how massive this place was. There were so many rooms here, so many patients. If they didn’t know where to go, they could very easily get lost here. They looked at each other and gave a nod to one another. They soon entered the hospital.

They were instantly greeted with the sounds of the zoners. Many were talking to each other, quite loudly, about different things that were going on. Other zoners seemed worried. And some were just sitting away from the others, trying to read. None of them seemed to pay them any mind, too focused on their own things to worry about them. Rudy recognized a couple of the zoners as a few Boorat ended up injuring during their escape. They didn’t seem badly hurt, thankfully. But the sight of them still left him wracked with guilt. He knew he was, in a way, responsible for their ailments.

Penny put a hand on his shoulder and smiled at hm. Rudy did his best to smile back. Penny didn’t even need to speak any words for him to know what she was going to say. And she was right. It was no use crying over spilled milk. Boorat was back in jail where he belonged, the zoners had largely forgiven him. and the ones that were hurt were getting treated. Things were being set right.

They spoke to the receptionist, and she gave them permission to go up and see Snap. The two friends headed down the hallway, traveling through the hospital, going up a few floors, until they reached the one that their friend was one. They brushed passed a couple of doctors, a couple with stretchers, as they made their way through the building. Rudy felt his heart clench, wondering if something happened to Snap. He tried to brush it off, but all these doctors zipping by here...he couldn’t help but wonder if one of them is for Snap....

Soon he and Penny reached Snap’s room. The door was shut. That didn’t mean anything, but it did increase Rudy’s anxiety. It delayed his chance to see if everything was all right. Even if it was just a few seconds, as Penny opened the door, it felt like hours.

As soon as the door opened up, the two friends stepped inside...

...and were instantly greeted by their friend.

“Hey Bucko! Buckette!” Snap said, a big grin on his face. “I’m glad you could make it!”

Rudy felt a swarm of relief sweep through him. He let out a sigh, his body relaxing, the tension leaving him in a single swing. He could feel his facial muscles forcing him to smile in happiness as he stared at his friend, who was sitting up on his hospital bed, looking straight at him and Penny. He didn’t fight it, and soon there was a big smile stretching on his lips.

“Hello, Snap.” Penny said, waving her hand at him. “How are you feeling?”

“Better than I was before.” Snap replied. “And how are you guys?”

“We’re okay. We had a little scare, but it’s fine now.” Penny said.

“A scare?” Snap blinked. But seeing the look in Penny’s eyes made him realize what she was talking about. “Oh...so I take it that creepazoid was taken care of?”

Penny nodded her head. “Yeah. We can tell you the whole story, if you’d like.”

“Sure. And I’ll give you an update on my prognosis. I think you’ll like it.” Snap said with a smile. He raised up his hand and gestured for his friends to come closer. “Well come on in!”

Rudy and Penny walked into the room, shutting the door behind them for some privacy. Snap motioned his hand towards a couple of chairs that were nearby. Rudy and Penny immediately grabbed them and pulled them closer to their friend. They sat down, getting themselves situatied, comfortable.

Rudy was quiet. He hadn’t spoken since they arrived at the room. His mind swirled with thoughts of what happened. He was still shaken up by how he nearly lost his life, all because of some greedy bastard who wanted his reputation and trophy. He was not only terrified of this fact, but also angry. He couldn’t believe how low that man was willing to sink...

And to try to have him killed? Rudy couldn’t help but wonder if it was to remove any chance of him getting out. The lead chief seemed to care so much about his precious reputation that he was willing to kill off anyone who may have had an inkling of a chance to get out. The thought of the man not being arrested burned his stomach, but there was nothing they could do right now. He knew Penny felt the same way. But for now, he would try not to think about the man. Perhaps, one day, he’ll get his just desserts.

Snap took notice of his expression. “Rudy, are you okay?”

Rudy looked over at his friend, but said nothing. Even as his friends looked at him with concern, he still didn’t talk. He bit his lip, feeling his head ache as he tried to sort out his thoughts. He knew he was safe, but he still felt so...shaken up and afraid. It was understandable. He did nearly die... It would take a while before he would be completely calm.

Rudy took a moment and looked at Snap, scanning his eyes up and down. Snap still looked as if he had some kind of fever, but his face wasn’t as pale as before, and his cheeks weren’t as red. He seemed much more alert than he had been since he was brought in here. He didn’t look as afraid, and that was definitely a good sign. It showed that Snap was recovering mentally from his experience being kidnapped and held prisoner.

As for physical recovery... Rudy had a feeling that would take a while. He glanced down at his friend’s arm. It was covered in bandages right now, with a slung holding it to his chest so he wouldn’t move it much. Even though the wound was covered, Rudy could still visibly remember what it looked like. He shuddered, feeling a sudden coldness in his body. He hoped there was not going to be any permanent damage from that. The sight of it reminded Rudy of just how angry he was with Mr. Wilter. The man apologized, but the anger would not leave for a long time.

“I...nothing. I’m fine.” Rudy said quickly, giving his friends a nervous smile. They stared at him and narrowed their eyes. Rudy sighed, knowing he can’t get away with trying to lie to his friends. “Oh okay... Yeah I’m still...upset with what...” He lowered his head and closed his eyes.

Penny’s expression softened up. “Rudy, it’s over now. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

“Would you feel better if we talked about it?” Snap inquired. He raised up his working hand in gesture. “We have a lot to discuss. We don’t mind talking about this as well."

Rudy looked at his friends. He smiled, grateful they were willing to help. Slowly, he gave a nod of his head. “Yeah...sure.”

The three friends began their discussion.

sss

Snap looked at Rudy sympathetically. He couldn’t blame him for still being so afraid. He knew some details of what was going on from Penny, but it was only when Rudy told his side of the story that it all came into place. Snap felt his body shiver as the full horror of what nearly happened rested down on him.

He could feel burning anger rise up in his stomach. He didn’t know everything about the real world and how it functioned. But he was certain that not many humans would tolerate Synclair’s despicable behavior. Penny’s statements supported this fact. It was hard for the zoner to understand just how this man could remain in power still. If it were to happen in ChalkZone, he knew the zoners would not stand for it and take action. But things were different in the real world and the man still wielded a lot of power, despite being knocked down a peg.

But at least Rudy was out of there and was safe. He had his doubts the man would come after him again. Synclair was a coward, hiding behind his reputation to keep him safe. He wouldn’t dare try to kill off Rudy now, not while there were several people, whom he didn’t know, had footage that could be used against him. He could not target any one of them as he didn’t know who all had a copy of the evidence. He was stuck, and all he can do is move on, knowing that, at any moment, his reputation would be ripped apart.

“It’s okay Rudy. At least that creepazoid is taken care of now.” Snap said in a low, comforting voice. Rudy looked over at him, his eyes still filled with worry. Snap smiled the best he could. “And if he tries something else...”

“You can bet we’ll take action.” Penny asserted, putting her arm around Rudy. “You can count on that.”

Snap and Penny watched as Rudy’s smile broadened. This made their hearts flutter. It felt good seeing Rudy looking happier, especially with what he had been through. The boy wiped away a tear that got in his eye.

“Thanks, guys...” Rudy whispered softly.

“You’re welcome, Rudy.” Penny said.

The three friends hugged. Snap had to be careful, as he only had one arm he could use. He put it around Rudy, who in turn put an arm around him. Penn grabbed onto them both. The three of them stayed like this, comforted by each other’s warmth, for what felt like several minutes. They soon parted, and for a while, things went silent. They looked at each other and smiled, all feeling great relief that this difficult chapter was over.

Rudy eventually spoke, breaking the silence. “So..Snap...” Rudy looked over at his friend, staring at his arm. It seemed like he was wanting to change the subject. “What is your prognosis...?”

“Oh yeah.” Penny said. She turned her head to Snap. “What did the doctors say? I recall you telling us we were going to love the news.”

Snap stared blankly at them for a moment. Then, upon realization, he smiled. “Oh yeah..I almost forgot about that.” He rubbed the back of his head, giving a nervous chuckle. “Thanks for reminding me!”

Snap got himself situated. He straightened himself up, crossing his legs on the bed. He had to be careful. He still had a slight headache from whatever remained of the fever. He still felt kind of sick, but not as bad as he used to be. He collected his thoughts, remembering what had happened while Penny was away. He sorted through them, taking note of what the doctors had told him, and the changes in his physical condition that he could detect. It was only after he managed to form coherent thoughts in his head that he spoke.

“It’s like this...”

As Snap began to tell the, Rudy and Penny leaned in, eager to hear what he had to say.

“The doctors told me that the disease is nearly gone. They had been keeping me on medication to fight off the infection, and they are happy to report that it’s nearly gone. They believe I should be back to normal in about a day or so. They’re even thinking of releasing me tomorrow and putting me on some antibiotics for a short time to fight off the remainder of the illness.”

At this, his friends smiled.

“That’s great, Snap!” Penny cried.

“Yeah!” Rudy stared at Snap’s arm, his happy demeanor diminishing slightly. “...and your arm...?”

Snap glanced down at his arm. He ran his right hand along the sling that held it to his chest. He lightly moved his palm over the arm itself, wincing as he felt the area that had the cuff in it. He gritted his teeth and looked back at them. “It’s doing a lot better. The doctors say it looks worse than it is. There doesn’t seem to be any permanent damage and they say my arm should eventually return to normal with no side effects. But I am going to have to take medicine for a long time for it. There was...quite a bit of damage to it...”

Rudy flinched at this. He nodded his head. “Yeah...I can believe that...” He swallowed, and Snap could tell Rudy was having flashbacks to the times he had seen the wound himself. “Well that’s good it’s going to be fine.”

“Yeah, definitely! It would have been terrible if you were permanently maimed from this.” Penny winced at this statement.

Snap nodded his head grimly. “Yeah...the doctors said I came close to having a much worse wound...” He shuddered at the memory. “And the wound I did have, especially after when Mr. Wilter yanked on it, it will take a while for the muscles in that area to heal up.” He paused for a moment, and then added, “When the doctors saw how badly damaged my arm was...they were so worried that...” His voice trailed off. His friends simply nodded their heads, remaining quiet.

Snap had been so scared of permanent damage. The cuff had sliced through muscle and tendons and some nerves. His hand had been affected, and it was difficult for him to use it. The doctors were worried that this damage would remain with him for the rest of his life. Despite that, they still treated it the best they could, applying some new medicine to try to get the swelling down and repair the damage that was done. It felt like a miracle that things had improved so much in such a short amount of time. Now the prognosis of his arm looked so much better.

“It is great that your arm will get better.” Penny said, interrupting Snap’s thoughts. “It could have been...”

“Yeah I know.” Snap said, nodding in agreement. He lowered his head, his eyes furrowed. “The doctors don’t want me getting too hopeful, though. They still think something could go wrong. They need time to make sure that my arm is doing better. Even if I regain some feeling and movement, it could still end up permanently damaged.”

“Well...some healing is better than none.” Penny said. “That is much better than what the original prognosis was...”

“Yeah. The thought of you having a partially useless arm..that’s just...so heartbreaking.” Rudy lowered his head. Tears formed in his eyes. “I..I don’t know what I would have done if...if you had...”

“Look on the bright side, Bucko.” Snap leaned forward the best he could without falling over. He reached forward and placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. “At least I’m still alive. And I’m still in one piece.” Rudy nodded his head, showing that he understood what Snap was saying. “I know you blame yourself, but you did pull through for me, and Penny, in the end. If you hadn’t taken that risk with Boorat...”

Penny finished before him. “Let’s just say things could have gotten a lot worse.”

“Yeah...I know..” Rudy said. He took in a deep breath and sighed. He looked up at his two friends, his eyes brightening a little, as if a huge burden was lifted from his shoulders. “And everything has been taken care of.”

“That’s the spirit.” Snap said with a grin. He was glad to see that Rudy was cheering up some more. Even though he had gotten the worst end of the stick, Snap was more concerned for Rudy than he was himself. Ultimately, he was glad that everything seemed to be working out.

Then Rudy frowned again. Snap and Penny looked at him, their eyes widening slightly. The boy stared down at Snap’s arm again. He reached out towards it, his hand shaky. He soon pulled it away and looked at Snap. He bit his lip, looking like there was something he really wanted to say, but he had trouble spitting it out. Eventually, he was able to force it from his lips. “What...what was it like..when you were...?”

Snap’s eyes widened at this. He glanced over at Penny and then back at Rudy. He hadn’t expected this question...then again, he knew he should have seen it coming. He had mentioned some details before, but due to his condition, they didn’t press it too much. Now that Snap was feeling much better, now seemed like a prime time to explain more of what happened to Rudy and Penny.

Snap knew he wasn’t going to enjoy this very much. He wasn’t looking forward to having to relive the nightmare in his head. But..they deserved to know. And he needed to get it off his chest. He needed to tell them everything Mr. Wilter did..the things he said.. They were his friends and they needed to know. Plus, talking about it was a step towards healing. He would never truly recover from the experience unless he talked about it. As hard as it was, he knew what he had to do.

Clearing his throat, he began his story. “It was awful... Mr. Wilter had...”

sss

“H-Hello, Ms. Bouffant.” Rudy said, swallowing nervously. “Your mother said..you wanted to see me..?”

Terry was silent for a few moments. She gave Rudy a sideways glance. Her expression was unreadable. For some reason, that was more nerve wracking for Rudy than a look of anger or disgust. “Come on in, Tabootie.” She paused, her eyes shifting. “You too, Sanchez.”

Rudy glanced over at Penny. She looked as nervous as he did. Neither of them knew what to expect. After their visit with Snap, they came straight here. They managed to convince their parents to take the, which made it easier to get here in a timely manner.

But the ride here... They never felt so much anxiety twisting their stomachs before. They had no idea what Terry was going to say to them, if she was going to try anything. They knew their injuries would prevent her from doing anything drastic. That didn’t lessen their fear of the situation, though. So much could go wrong. They had to be on their toes, ready for anything. The fact that they were coming in alone, upon Terry’s request, was of little comfort to them. They tried to assure each other it was going to be okay, but that didn’t stop the fear from swelling up inside of them.

But they were here now, and there was no turning back. They each took in a deep breath, trying to soothe their nerves. Slowly, they walked into the room. They shut the door behind them after Terry made a gesture with her hand. Then she moved her fingers, indicating for them to come closer. Nervously, they did so, and soon they stood beside her bed.

Terry looked a little better than the last time they saw her. She still looked weak and pale, and her eyes still held a haunting look to them, but she seemed to have recovered a little. The woman’s heartbeat was looking more normal, some color returned to her face, and the monitors didn’t seem abnormal. Rudy wasn’t sure himself, but noting Penny’s expression, he had a strong feeling that there was nothing too serious going on. Terry was making an uphill climb and, despite being angry with her, he was glad for that.

Rudy still felt nervous being this close to his adversary. Staring at the woman, he couldn’t help but remember the recent encounter they had with her. He recalled how she had kidnapped her friends, with Vinnie’s help, and how she had ruthlessly chased them after he helped his friends get away. The thought still filled him with anger and fear. He knew Terry was willing to do questionable things to get what she wanted, but...kidnapping his friends like that...one of whom was sick and injured? That was abominable...

“I take it you want to know why I called you two in here.” Terry’s voice cut through the air, breaking the silence. The two kids stared at her expectantly, narrowing their eyes and nodding their head. “Yeah, I thought so. There’s...much to talk about.”

“I agree.” Penny said. Rudy noticed that, though she seemed calm, there was a tinge of emotion in her voice. She was still shaken up by when she was kidnapped. “I never thought that you would...”

“Neither did I, I admit.” Terry said, cutting her off. She wasn’t looking directly at Rudy and Penny at this point. Her gaze was shifted away, her pupils looking dowards her hands, which were clasped together. “I never expected things to..go like that. I guess I was just desperate. I’m sure that doesn’t surprise you, too, am I right?” She looked over at them. She gave them something of a nervous smile, which only lasted a few seconds as she noticed their glares weren’t letting up. “Yeah, I understand. You have every right to be angry at me.”

“Is this why you called us here? To tell us how sorry you are for yourself?” Rudy snarled at her. He winced, mentally scolding himself for letting some anger show. He could have easily made things deteriorate, but luckily Terry didn’t seem to mind.

The redhead shook her head slowly. “No.. I’m sure you don’t want to hear any of that. You already know what I’ve done..and what Vinnie helped me do.” At Vinnie’s name, the woman flinched, her eyes filling with sadness. This caused Penny and Rudy to look at each other. They wondered what was going on. “No, I called you here so I could do something I...should have done a long time ago.”

Remembering what Mary said in the midst of his muddled and confused thoughts, Rudy whispered, “You..wanted to apologize..” Penny looked at him, her eyes widening. “Didn’t you?” Penny looked back at Terry expectantly.

Terry looked at Rudy and gave a nod of the head. “...Yes.”

Penny’s eyes widened at this, taken aback. “You want to apologize to us?” Terry nodded again, a bit more affirmatively this time. Penny took a small step back, looking confused by the whole thing. “I..don’t understand. You never...”

“Times change.” Terry said. “I’ve..had quite a bit of time to think.”

“You were here for...I think it’s been a week now?” Rudy wasn’t entirely sure. He kind of lost track of the time. He knew it’s been at least a few days at least. “How is your prognosis?”

Terry looked a bit surprised that Rudy was asking about her condition. Rudy wondered if the woman expected him to hate her so much that he wouldn’t care what kind of health she was in. It was clear, even with their past interactions, Terry didn’t completely understand him. She didn’t understand that he would never wish harm on anyone, not even his worst enemies.

After a couple seconds of confused silence, Terry said, “I’m...better. The doctors say I still need to stay here, but I should be able to leave soon.”

“That’s good to hear.” Rudy said.

“What of Vinnie?” Penny asked.

At this, Terry’s eyes widened. She looked at the two children, silent, her mouth partially open. Rudy noticed she was shaking a little, and...were those tears in her eyes...? At this, Rudy and Penny felt their hearts racing. What was going on? Is this why Terry...?

Closing her eyes, Terry whispered in a low voice. “Vinnie....didn’t make it...”

Rudy felt his stomach drop to the ground. He jerked back in shock, shivers moving through his body. He stared wide-eyed at the woman, unable to believe what he just heard. “He’s...dead..?” Terry nodded her head shakingly. “H-How? I thought he...”

“He seemed fine the last time I saw him.” Penny said, her voice small, her eyes wide in horror. “What could have happened?”

“There was more damage done than the doctors realized. They..didn’t notice until it was too late.” Terry lowered her head a little more. Tears streamed down her face. “I don’t know the full details, but they talked something about brain swelling, and...” Her voice trailed off, letting out a couple small sobs. “He died earlier today...”

Rudy’s eyes widened, flashing back to the crowd earlier. “So that’s why..”

Terry nodded her head. “The people you probably had to squeeze through were his family. They...came to see him when they heard the news.”

Penny bit her lip. “We’re..so sorry...”

Rudy lowered his head in shame. He stared at the ground, trying to deal with the torrent of intense emotion rushing into his head all at once. Vinnie was...dead..? He died..? No...I-It couldn’t be... But the look in the woman’s eye.. She wouldn’t lie about something like this, would she? No, she wouldn’t. Maybe regarding a zoner, but not another human being. But if it’s true...then that means that...

Oh gawd no.. His actions had more far reaching consequences than he had thought. He...he had indirectly killed someone. This realization made his legs feel weak and wobbly. He was amazed that he could still stand up. He wanted to fall down on his knees and start crying. Yet he was in such a state of shock, he couldn’t even do that.

He never wanted this. He never wanted something like this to happen. How..how was this possible..? Vinnie was fine the last time he saw him. Sure he was still unconscious, but he was fine. The doctors even had a more promising outlook for it, well at least more so than what he got in the end. There was no sign that Vinnie was going to die. And yet..that’s what ultimately happened. Vinnie died from his injuries, and it was all because of him. This was his fault. If..if he hadn’t...

“Rudy..?”

Hearing Penny's voice, he turned to look at his friend. He then turned away, keeping his head low. He fought back against the tears that formed. He tried to tell himself it wasn’t his fault, that he never meant for this to happen. But the guilt still gripped him. It had a strangle hold on his heart, squeezing it so tightly he thought it was going to burst open. Even as Penny called out at him in worry, Rudy didn’t pay attention to them.

What finally got his attention was Terry’s voice. He heard her speak his name softly, yet firmly. Even though she gave no actual command, Rudy still felt compelled to listen. He opened his eyes and looked over at her. The two stared at each other. Rudy tried his best to control his tears, but they kept coming down. He wiped them away, and froze when he noticed Terry leaning closer to him. Without hesitation, Terry reached out towards him and, using a finger, gently wiped away a tear. Rudy and Penny stared at her in confusion.

“No, don’t blame yourself, Rudy.” Terry said. “This is my fault and we all know it.”

Rudy stared at Terry in confusion. He would have thought she’d jump at the chance to pin the blame on him. He and Penny didn’t expect her to accept that she was responsible for this.

Terry noted their confusion and nodded her head towards them. “I know you two are confused. I admit, originally I was angry at you.” She shifted her gaze on Rudy. “I was so close to getting what I wanted, and when you managed to snatch it away, I snapped.” She stared at Rudy for a few seconds, narrowing her eyes slightly. “I was determined not to lose again.” She softened up her expression and turned her head away. “But I was wrong. I was so wrong...” She closed her eyes. “Vinnie is dead because of me.”

“No one could have predicted what would have happened. You couldn’t have foreseen that Vinnie would have...” Penny started to say.

“But I could have stopped myself! I could have listened to what he said and if I had, he’d..he’d still be here!” Terry shouted. Rudy and Penny were shocked to see tears flying from her eyes. “I know Vinnie was an idiot sometimes, but he didn’t deserve this!” Rudy and Penny took a step back. Terry realized she was a bit too loud and cleared her throat. She spoke in a softer voice, “I’m sorry. It’s just that...” She sighed, shaking her head slowly. “I had a lot of time to think, Rudy, and I know that Vinnie’s death was directly my fault. I gave chase. I took the risks...”

Rudy listened to the woman intently. This was a side of Terry he had never seen before. She was usually cold and manipulative. She would do whatever it took to get what she wanted. But now, here she was, regretting her actions. She understood that she had gone too far, and because of her, someone had died. Rudy still felt guilty himself, but he was glad that Terry wasn’t trying to rub his built in his face like he had expected.

“I have no one to blame but myself. I caused Vinnie’s death, and I’m prepared to face his family...should they want to confront me about it.” Terry said softly. She looked back at Rudy and Penny. Her eyes were glistening, and they could see a strong regretfulness in those eyes. “I’m so sorry for what I’ve done to you as well. I realize that..I was way out of line. I took my interest in ChalkZone too far and I...” She closed her mouth, clenching her teeth. Her eyes furrowed for a bit before she closed them. “I’m sorry for everything I did. I’m so sorry.”

Rudy and Penny exchanged looks of shock with each other. Did they hear right? Did Terry really just...apologize to them...? That was something they did not expect. Even though Rudy kind of saw it coming based on what Mary told him, it still came as a shock to hear a more complete apology. It sounded so sincere, too. Terry didn’t sound like she was trying to pull a fast one. She was...really sorry.

Rudy couldn’t help but give a small, barely noticeable smile. He still felt horrible about Vinnie, and he still felt a bit apprehensive around Terry, but..if he could make amends with her, if they could set aside their hostility, then maybe Terry could stop being an enemy. Rudy longed for the day when ChalkZone would have no more human enemies. This could be his chance to succeed in removing one final threat. He didn’t want to have to fight Terry anymore. Maybe, if she was really sorry, she would be willing to..start over perhaps?

There was only one way to find out.

“I forgive you, Ms. Bouffant.” Rudy said.

Penny looked at Rudy, and then turned to Terry. She nodded and said, “So do I.”

Terry stared at the children in shock, her mouth dropping open. It was clear she did not expect them to forgive her so easily. “But...”

Rudy raised his hand. “I’m still uncertain about you, Terry. I’m still angry at you and all you’ve done. But I am willing to give you a second chance. I do not want to be your enemy. I would rather not be your adversary. If you are willing, then we can set aside this part of our life and begin anew.”

“You made a lot of mistakes, Ms. Bouffant. But it’s not too late to change.” Penny added. “We are willing to give you another chance, if you yourself are willing to make the effort. What do you say?” She gestured to Terry.

The redhead woman didn’t answer right away. She was in too much shock to say anything. She stared from Rudy, then Penny, constantly flipping between the two. She attempted to speak a few times, but she would always clench her teeth shut. She constantly looked away, and the two kids could practically smell the gears grinding in her mind as she struggled with an answer.

Finally, after what seemed like an hour, Terry said, “I... I’m not sure if I can answer just yet...”

Rudy nodded his head. “I understand. Don’t worry, we’ll give you all the time you need.”

“Yeah. We won’t rush you. We just... hope you make the right choice.” Penny said.

Terry stared at the children. She slowly smiled at them, grateful that they were willing to give her another chance. Rudy and Penny smiled back, solidifying their words. The room went quiet for a little bit. During this time, Rudy could feel the tension leaving the air. For the first time since he first met her, Rudy felt comfortable in Terry’s presence. Maybe this really could mark the beginning of a new chapter.

Things could really change around here. If Terry stopped being their enemy, then they wouldn’t have to worry about her tailing them anymore. They didn’t have to worry about her trying to pry for more ChalkZone information. They wouldn’t have to be afraid of her anymore. They didn’t have to act so antagonistic towards her. Things could get better..but only if Terry was willing to make the effort. It was one thing to say she was sorry; it was another to act on it. Rudy hoped that Terry had the courage and incentive to actually follow through.

Terry’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “I...do have one question, though.”

“What is it?” Penny asked.

“....why did you try to keep me away from ChalkZone?” Noting the kids’ expressions, she raised her hand and said, “I’m just curious. I should have asked this a long time ago, but I didn’t and I...” She trailed off for a bit, then continued, “I just want to understand your point of view. You two must have a good reason for keeping that place a secret, right?”

Rudy and Penny stared at each other, then they turned back to Terry and nodded their heads.

“Can you tell me?” Terry asked. “I wish to understand.”


	20. Closure

Rudy laid down on his back in bed. He stared up at the ceiling with his arms folded above his head. He could hear almsot nothing in his room. It was so quiet, save for a few birds chirping outside. Once in a while, the corner of his eye would catch a sudden color, and he’d turn his head to see it was just a fall leaf floating in the wind. He resumed looking up at the ceiling, taking in a deep breath and sighing.

At the moment, his mind was largely fixated on something. He was deep in thought, multiple thoughts bombarding his mind as he tried to make sense of it all. Multiple memories rushed through him as he recalled the details of what happened the past few days or so. A part of him was still surprised it was November already. He had been so focused on Snap’s kidnapping and such, he had forgotten that it was November, and a cold chill rushed through the cracks of the window, reminding him of this fact.

But at the moment, he hardly paid attention to any of that. His mind was preoccupied with the recent memories of what had transpired. A part of him had a hard time believing all of this had really happened. Yet everytime he would speak to his parents, or his friends, he would be reminded that, yes, it did happen. There was one thing he knew for certain.

Things weren’t going to be quite the same anymore.

Rudy thought back to the conversation he and Penny had with Terry. They stayed at the hospital with her for longer than they had intended. They thought it was going to be a brief visit, if all went well, but Terry ended up keeping them there for longer. It got to the point where their parents had to walk in and make sure everything was okay. They were relieved when they realized they were fine, and commented how long they had been there. They all had been surprised, not realizing how much time had passed by.

Rudy was still shocked that Terry had apologized for her actions. He still thought it was best to be a little cautious around her, as he never knew if she was going to fall back on her original plans or not. But...it was still nice to hear an apology from her. She definitely needed to give one after all the grief she had put them through. And she really did sound sincere in her apology, never once trying to shift the blame on them. It was a nice change, especially for someone who, for months, had been trying to get into ChalkZone by any means.

When she had asked about ChalkZone again, Rudy and Penny were worried. They thought, at first, maybe this was a trap and she had reeled them in, hook, line, and sinker. But when she started to tell them why she wanted more information, they relaxed a little.

It turned out that she just wanted to know why they kept ChalkZone a secret. Rudy wasn’t sure why she never asked this before, and Terry admitted she wasn’t sure either. If she had done this earlier, she would have had a better understanding of what he and Penny were getting at. They did their best to explain to Terry of the troubles it would cause zoners. Even if Terry was already told some of this stuff before, they still gave the information to her. They also took care to add in more detail, elaborating on certain aspects, such as the destruction it could potentially bring not just to ChalkZone, but to the real world as well.

By the end of it all, Terry seemed to understand their point of view better. Rudy wasn’t sure if Terry would completely give up on exposing ChalkZone. She didn’t say if she would or not. She only said that she understood them now, and acknowledged they had valid points in keeping ChalkZone secret. Her words implied that she felt it was possible to expose ChalkZone without the negative side effects he and Penny told her.

Rudy glared softly at the ceiling. If Terry was still going to keep trying to expose ChalkZone in spite of what happened, what she had been told, he would be there to stop her. He was not going to permit her to bring potential destruction to the place he sought to protect. He would see to that.

But despite still seeing her as a potential enemy, Rudy still felt bad for her. He never meant for her to get harmed and seeing her in that condition made him feel guilty. He also, on some level, felt bad for ruining her reputation on television. He had never admitted it to her, though he had spoke to Penny and Snap about it. They assured him he did what he had to do in order to keep ChalkZone safe. And they were right. Keeping ChalkZone hidden was of the utmost importance, and it wasn’t like he caused any real harm to Terry outside of not being hired by major newstations anymore, right?

But her getting hurt...crashing into that stupid fountain... He probably would always feel some guilt about that. He felt terrible for what happened to her and Vinnie. He hoped that Terry would make a speedy recovery and be able to leave the hospital soon.

Vinnie... The name rang in his head. He hadn’t directly interacted with any of his family, but he recalled their cries and sobbing when they visited him. It was so loud, it moved through the walls, and he, Terry, and Penny could hear it. The sound of it made Terry lower her head in shame, as she blamed herself for what happened. Rudy felt his heart twist as he listened to the crying. He hardly noticed when Penny placed a hand on his shoulder to try to comfort him.

Rudy still found it hard to believe that Vinnie really was gone. Despite all he had done, he still felt awful that he had died. His brain suffered too much damage, and he ended up dying in his sleep about two hours before he and Penny had arrived. His family was called in and given the horrible news, and he and Penny saw for themselves just how many people cared about him. Remembering this made Rudy feel so much worse.

He made a silent decision as they left the hospital to go back home. He spoke to Penny about it later. She supported the idea, but they would have to talk to their parents later about it. He also wanted to speak to Snap about it. He wanted to let his friend know why he wasn’t going to be in ChalkZone at the regular time this weekend.

He wanted to attend Vinnie’s funeral. He recalled Terry was going to try and be there. She felt responsible for the mess and she wanted to try to make it up to the family by being there, and show that she regretted her actions. Rudy felt the same way. Even though he wasn’t the one who drove the car into the fountain, he still felt as though he could have done something different to prevent the crash. It seemed he and Terry were on a similiar page with this.

Although Penny kept telling him it wasn’t his fault, she still supported him going to the funeral. She did agree that it would be the best thing for him to do. She believed attending the funeral would help bring some closure and help him start to heal mentally regarding the situation. He hoped she was right.

He turned his thoughts to something more pleasant. Snap was out of the hospital now. His arm was still in the sling, and he would have to keep wearing it for a while. He also had to be on medication for a long time. But his fever was completely gone and he showed no signs of illness. It filled Rudy with so much joy to see Snap looking so well, so much better. Even if Snap couldn’t run, as the doctors recommended against it, just seeing Snap walk around, be anywhere except trapped in bed, it was enough to make him smile.

Snap had told them everything that happened to him. Rudy recalled the anger and horror he and Penny felt when Snap described the events in detail. He told them about when he tried to escape, and Wilter folded him up like a piece of paper and put the cuff through him. He told them about how Wilter had threatened ChalkZone with a supervolcano if he didn’t speak. He told them of all the nasty things the middle aged man said and did to him. Rudy let tears stroll down his cheeks. He couldn’t believe just how cruel his teacher had been...

But Mr. Wilter had been arrested and Snap was safe in ChalkZone again. Even if there was a delay, he had made it. Against the odds, he made a lot of recovery progress and was looking almost like his old self again. He had been affected for a time due to the mental trauma. Rudy and Penny weren’t surprised, and they did their best to comfort him. Snap’s mental state did improve greatly, and it made Rudy happy to know that Snap’s personality wasn’t permanently changed from all this.

As for Mr. Wilter, he did apologize for his atrocious actions. He had tried to make it better by giving Snap back. Rudy still felt horrible that he had allowed his emotion to get in the way, and wound up making everything worse. Mr. Wilter didn’t hold it against him, though, and he insisted it was his fault, not his, since he was the one who went through kidnapping Snap. Despite this, Rudy still felt some level of responsibility, but he was still glad it was all over.

Although Snap hadn’t seen Mr. Wilter again since the arrest, he did tell him and Penny that he did forgive Mr. Wilter. Rudy realized that if Snap could do that, so could he. Rudy wanted to speak more to the man, perhaps arrange a way for him and Snap to communicate. Snap really needed to hear Wilter’s apology.

But it would have to wait. Mr. Wilter’s trial was tomorrow, and he planned on attending. And even after that, he’d have to wait a day or so before Mr. Wilter was allowed any visitors. At least this was going to give him plenty of time to speak to Snap and Penny about how they would go about this. Snap was nervous about going into the real world due to what happened. But perhaps he would be willing to go at least one more time to speak to Mr. Wilter. Snap did say he wanted to speak to him.

“Rudy!”

The boy lifted up his head at the sound of his mother’s voice. He could hear heavy footsteps and he knew she was coming up. He pushed himself up, soon dangling his feet over the edge of his bed.

“Yes, mom?” Rudy called out, despite the door still being closed.

This was quickly remedied. His mother opened up the door and stepped into his room. She looked up at him, giving a quick wave of her hand. “Your friend, Penny is here.” She motioned with her hand. “Come on down!”

At this, Rudy shook his head. His mother stared at him in confusion. Before she could say anything, Rudy said, “Can you have her come up here? I want to speak to her privately.”

At this, his mother smiled widely, and Rudy immediately cringed. “Oh..I see. Okay, then, dear. I’ll go get her.”

As his mother left the room to go fetch Penny, Rudy immediately slapped himself in the face. Oh dear, what had he unleashed? Now his mom was going to think that... He shook the thought out of his head. What his mom thought wasn’t the most pressing on his mind right now. He would clear things up later.

“Rudy?” He looked down from his bunkbed and he could see Penny had already arrived in the room. “Your mom said you wanted to speak to me?”

Rudy didn’t answer right away. He noticed his mother smiling at them, giving him a wink. Rudy resisted the temptation to slap himself again. His mother shut the door behind them, probably for privacy. Though he was annoyed by this, uncomfortable with his mother’s teasing, Rudy was still grateful for this. He still had to be careful; he didn’t know if his mother was going to eavesdrop or not. He gestured for Penny to come closer.

“I wanted to speak to you about...” Rudy’s voice trailed off, biting his lip.

“About what?” Penny asked. Seeing the look in his eyes, she appeared to guess. “About Snap, Mr. Wilter, Terry, and Vinnie... am I right?”

Rudy stared at her, then nodded. “Yeah. Or at least..what we are going to do.” He looked up towards the ceiling. “I know I want Snap and Mr. Wilter to speak to each other. You know, get closer and all.”

“Don’t worry.” Penny said, giving him a small smile. “It’ll work out in the end. You’ll see.”

“Yeah...I’m sure it will.” Rudy said. He winced when he said that. He had tried to make it sound as sincere as possible, but he still allowed some uncertainty slip through in his voice. Penny clearly caught it, and her expression changed a little. Rudy turned his head away. “Yeah...I am still a little worried.” He couldn’t deny it. “I am concerned that...something might still go wrong.” He jumped down from the bunkbed, landing on his feet not far from Penny.

Penny nodded her head. “I know, Rudy. After what’s happened, it is a little hard to believe that things have gone into our favor. But you shouldn’t worry so much.” She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Things will be fine. You’ve got to believe that.”

“I know.” Rudy closed his eyes. “I know I might end up making things worse if I...” He shook his head and turned to smile at Penny. “I’ll do my best not to worry okay?” Penny smiled back, but her eyes were still partially narrowed. Rudy cleared his throat, wanting to get on with the conversation. He hadn’t meant to stear away from it like he had. “How do you think we should go about getting Snap to Mr. Wilter?”

Penny looked confused for a second, but she soon realized what Rudy was talking about. She pressed her curved fingers against her chin, eyes narrowing in contemplation. “Well...I do know the sooner we tell him, the better.” She looked back at Rudy. “We can’t just drag him into the real world without telling him. He’d probably freak out.”

Rudy nodded his head once. “After what Mr. Wilter did, I’m not surprised.”

“I think Snap would be all for talking to Mr. Wilter. As long as you tell him beforehand, which I know you’ll do.” Penny said.

“Yeah. That’s the first thing I’ll bring up to him when we get to ChalkZone.” Rudy glanced over at the chalkboard. “I just hope being in the real world near that man isn’t going to make him have a panic attack.”

Penny smiled at Rudy. “I’m sure he’ll be fine. You saw how much better he’s been doing lately.”

“Yeah, because he is in ChalkZone and Mr. Wilter isn’t in there.” Rudy reminded her. Penny’s smile faded. “Sorry. I want to be more positive about this...I was, but now I....”

“I understand, Rudy.” Penny said. “Don’t stress yourself out too much. Come on...let’s head into ChalkZone while we have the chance.” She looked over at the shut door. “I believe your parents and my mom will be talking for a while. With Mr. Wilter’s trial coming up, as well as Vinnie’s funeral, they have a lot to discuss and plan.”

Rudy nodded his head. He recalled mentioning to his parents wanting to attend both, as did Penny to her mom. So the adults were arranging how they could work this out. They had to make some phone calls and make some discussions with some people before they could be certain they could go. Rudy was sure he would be able to attend; he saw little reason why he wouldn’t be able to attend both. He would just have to be careful of the time as he had no idea if the trial and funeral would be on the same day or not.

He knew Penny was right. This was the perfect opportunity to head into ChalkZone. His parents and Penny’s mom were too by talking, so they wouldn’t be back up here to try to speak to him for a while. He knew Snap was waiting for him, perhaps right there beyond the side of his chalkboard. Even though he recently saw him, he still couldn’t wait to see him again.

For a moment, he remembered how he nearly lost Snap. The memories filled him with dread. Finding that cloth stained with what he thought were Snap’s remains.... Even though he knew the truth, the mere thought of that cloth filled him with cold ice.

Shaking the thoughts out of his mind, Rudy turned his attention to the chalkboard. He walked over to it, pulling out a piece of magic chalk in the process. Penny followed him close behind. Rudy reached over and pressed the chalk against the black surface. He applied pressure and began to draw a circle.

Suddenly, his mother’s voice echoed in his room.

“Rudy! Let me know when you’re done having your talk with your girlfriend!”

At this, Rudy’s eyes widened and his teeth bared. He froze where he stood, nearly tripping over. Penny put a hand to her mouth, which had dropped open. She looked from the door, and then to Rudy. She gave him a quizzical look, and she needn’t speak words for him to understand what she was trying to ask him.

Rudy raised up a hand and said, “Don’t ask. Mom misunderstood what I said, and now she thinks you and I are the youngest couple ever.” His eyes widened as he realized something. “..and she isn’t at all freaked out by this...”

Penny giggled. “Well your father was quite young when he fell in love with your mom.”

Rudy shot her a glare. “Penny, you’re not helping!”

Penny gave a few small chuckles, her hand placed against her cheek. “Sorry, Rudy.” She settled herself down, but that big smile was still on her face. “You can talk to her later.” She suggested.

“Oh don’t worry, I plan to.” Rudy said as he resumed drawing the portal.

“Oh yes, otherwise she’s going to tell your other relatives.” Penny said, her smile growing mischevious. “Then they will come over to witness our glorious ten year old love!”

“Penny!” Rudy said, nearly dropping the chalk as he stared open-mouthed at Penny.

“Just kidding!” Penny brought her hands up as if to defend herself. Quickly changing the subject, she said, “Come on, Snap is waiting for us.”

Rudy stared at her for a few moments. Then he turned and resumed drawing the portal. After the circle completed, and the light shined through, the two friends climbed through the portal into ChalkZone.

sss

Snap couldn’t help but give a big grin when he saw his two friends enter ChalkZone. He rushed up to greet them. He had to stop, though, as a short bout of dizziness struck him. He stopped and held his head. He needed to remember not to move too fast. His equiliberium hadn’t made a full recovery yet. He needed to be careful.

As soon as he regained his bearings, he resumed moving towards his friends. They had just finished erasing the portal when they looked over at him. He could see a worried look on their faces. At first, Snap thought that something terrible had happened. But he soon realized that they must have seen him wobble. He stopped when he got close to them, giving the best reassuring smile he could muster.

“It’s okay, I’m fine.” Snap said. He rubbed the side of his head. “Just got a little dizzy, that’s all.”

“So that’s still going on?” Penny asked. Snap nodded his head. “When did the doctors say it would go away?”

“A few days.” Snap couldn’t remember exactly how many days. He did recall it wasn’t too long, though. The bouts of dizziness had already weakened and were getting harder to trigger. He couldn’t wait until they disappeared entirely. “It can be annoying at times, but..eh...” Snap shrugged his shoulders. “I can deal with it. It’s not too bad.”

“Yeah. At least you’re still in one piece.” Rudy commented, smiling down at his friend. Then his smile faltered. “I hope...your arm makes a full recovery.”

At this, Snap found himself looking at his arm. He bit his lip. The arm was doing better, but he wasn’t sure just how much it would recover. Some tingliness remained and some movement was still gone. The doctors were surprised he recovered as much as he did, with the cuff in there as long as it had been. He was hopeful that his arm would completely heal, but he had to get used to the idea of the damage being permanent.

The pain was much better at least. His arm was still wrapped up in bandages, still in a sling, but he had seen the wound when he had to change the bandages. It was much less swollen compared to before and looked much cleaner. The two holes had long been stitched up and the skin started to reattach itself, which he was certain would leave behind a scar for some time. He flinched as he remembered when the doctors were cleaning out the wound one time. He had still been awake and it stung horribly. But the wound did start feeling better after that, so he was grateful.

Snap smiled the best he could, not wanting Rudy to worry too much. “I’m sure it’ll be fine, Bucko. Just give it time.” He glanced down at his arm real quick before looking back at Rudy and Penny. “It can take a while for these things to heal. In a couple weeks time, I’m sure it’ll be like nothing happened!”

Rudy smiled, but Snap could tell it was kind of forced. Rudy was really worried and uncertain about this. Snap knew that part of the reason was because Rudy still felt responsible for what happened to him. He blamed himself for him being sent to the real world hospital, which delayed the help that he needed. Snap had tried to tell him it wasn’t his fault, but it was clear that the boy still blamed himself.

Snap took a step forward and placed his good hand on Rudy’s shoulder. Rudy stared at him, looking like he wanted to speak, but he remained quiet. Snap smiled at him and said, “It will be fine. You’ll see.”

“Those words sound familiar.” Rudy said softly. He glanced over at Penny for a second. Looking back at Snap, he continued, “I just hope you guys are right.”

Snap looked at his friend sympathetically. Even when Rudy was trying to be positive, and succeeded, he still felt guilty and unsure. Given what’s happened lately, it wasn’t like he could really blame him. He had really screwed things up when he thought things were going to get a little better. So it was only natural for Rudy to continue worrying, even when he himself had gained some confidence that things were going to improve.

Snap hoped that Rudy would start feeling better about himself soon. Yeah he messed up, but it wasn’t meant out of malice. Okay, so him sending Mr. Wilter to jail was pretty much an act of revenge, but Rudy did at least regret it, especially when he realized that made thing worse. In the end, Rudy was only doing what he thought was right, and he did acknowledge that he had been wrong. Perhaps, in time, he would feel better.

Before Snap could say anything else, Penny interrupted him.

“Hey, can we stop by your beach house?” Penny asked.

Snap looked up at her. “Oh? Why?”

“Because your treehouse would be harder for you to get to, with your arm still like that.” Penny pointed at his arm. Snap glanced down at it for a second. Penny then made a motion with her head, indicating Rudy. “And he wants to talk to you about something important.”

“What is it, Bucko?” Snap looked over at Rudy. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

Rudy opened his mouth to speak, but then shut it. His eyes narrowed, thoughts seeping through his head as he struggled to find what to say. Snap did his best to wait patiently for his friend to answer. But as Rudy looked at him that way, Snap began to imagine the worst. His stomach churned, a slight sick feeling rising inside of him. He held his stomach, unconsciously preparing himself to throw up like he had been days ago.

It was quite clear to Snap that Rudy really wanted to tell him, but something was holding him back. Why, though? Fear? Uncertainty? Unable to form the words? Snap resisted the urge to say ‘tell me!’, as he knew that would only make things worse. So he did his best to compose himself.

Soon Rudy did open his mouth to speak, but it wasn’t what Snap had expected to hear.

“I’ll tell you more when we get to your house.” Rudy said. A small smile spread across his face. “I’d...feel better if we spoke somewhere not out in the open.”

Snap was confused by this. Why did Rudy want privacy for this? Why couldn’t he tell him here? Was Rudy just delaying it? Did he need more time to form the words? Was there another reason? Snap tried to cope with all the questions running through his head. He could feel a slight ache in the center due to the wave of thoughts flooded his head.

But as much as he wanted to press the topic, he knew it was best to wait. If Rudy really was this uncertain and confused, then pressing the matter was not going to help. He knew Rudy well and he knew that his friend would eventually tell him. Even if it took a little while, Rudy would tell him what was on his mind, and what he came here for. He just needed a little time to clear his thoughts. That’s all.

“Okay.” Snap said, breaking the silence. He nodded to his friends and made a gesture with his right hand. “Let’s go.”

With that, the three friends headed towards Snap’s beach house.

sss

“You want to what?” Snap asked, his eyes widened.

Rudy sighed. “I know it seems...unusual, but..”

Snap shook his head. “No, it’s not strange or anything. I get that you want me and Mr. Wilter to reconcile, but..” Snap paused. He moved his eyes from side to side as if trying to think of the words to say. “I’m still kind of...”

“I understand, Snap.” Rudy said. “It must be scary going back into the real world after what’s happened to you.”

Snap nodded his head, giving a shudder. “And even besides that, would they even let me see him? Wouldn’t they think it’s weird that a victim wants to see his tormentor?”

Penny nodded her head. “They might...but I don’t think they would deny you a visit.”

“But what if they insist on a bodyguard?” Snap pointed out. “What if they overhear us talk about ChalkZone?”

Penny realized Snap had a point. Wilter couldn’t properly apologize without mentioning ChalkZone. After all, he nearly drew a super volcano, and he had scratched the chalkboard willingly, knowing full well what it did on the other side. There were some things the man could apologize for without having to worry about the mention of ChalkZone, such as the cuff through her friend’s arm. But some others, that was going to be a little more difficult.

She wasn’t sure if it was possible to convince the guards to let Snap see Mr. Wilter alone, or just with them. It all depended on how dangerous a criminal they deemed him as, and how willing they were to let Snap, his kidnapping victim, see him at all. She wasn’t sure how they were with that sort of stuff. Some places had certain rules, and Penny wasn’t entirely sure of which jail Wilter would be sent to, let alone what their rules were going to be.

Despite that, she did her best to smile. “We’ll think of something. Don’t worry.”

Suddenly, there was a glint in Rudy’s eye. The boy lifted up his head quickly. The movement was enough to get Snap and Penny to stare at him. “I think I have an idea!”

“What’s your plan, Rudy?” Penny asked.

“Yeah, what did you come up with?” Snap joined in.

Rudy looked over at them. He had a look that told Penny silently that Rudy couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of this before. A solution that seemed so simple, yet was so elusive. “I can get Mr. Wilter a small, portable chalkboard. When we go see him after the trial, I can give it to him, and then we can use ChalkZone to navigate to that one spot. We can create a small portal and we could discuss more in depth with him that way.”

Penny and Snap stared at Rudy, both a little shocked by what he was suggesting. The idea sounded a bit mad. They still weren’t sure just how trustworthy Mr. Wilter was. Yeah he seemed remorseful, but what if that changes over time? What if Mr. Wilter decided to get back at them anyway? Maybe they were overreacting. Maybe Mr. Wilter wouldn’t do that. Still, it was better to be safe than sorry, right?

But the more Penny thought about it, the more she realized this could work. They could take precautions to make sure that Wilter couldn’t use it as a weapon. So long as he didn’t have chalk, the worst he could do is scratch it, and the sound would be so grating there was no way the wardens would let him keep it. It would be taken away from him. Plus, having a portal right in his cell would let them have more private conversations; the man could whisper to them, or they could exchange notes back and forth. They wouldn’t have to worry about anyone watching them as they would if they had the guards take them.

Yeah, this plan could work. She still thought it was a pretty big risk, but they had taken risks before. So long as they were careful not to allow Mr. Wilter a piece of chalk, they should be good. Scratchings on the chalkboard might be irritating, but at least it wouldn’t kill or seriously injure any zoner.

“Rudy...not that I’m complaining, but..what if...?” Snap’s voice trailed off. He had a hand to his mouth and there was a worried, somewhat frightful look in his eyes. “Something could...”

Rudy raised his hand up. “Don’t worry, Snap. I have it all figured out!”

Snap tilted his head. “You do?”

“Yep!” Rudy said. Penny gave a small smile at this. She was glad that Rudy had thought of a plan. After the mishaps earlier, he would definitely want to be more careful with his planning. Snap, however, still looked uncertain. Rudy caught this and moved closer to his friend. He placed a hand on his shoulder and said, “Don’t worry, Snap. It will be fine. Trust me.”

“Whatever you say, Rudy.” Snap offered a smile, but it was slightly faltered.

Penny couldn’t blame him. So much happened recently, so it made sense that he’d be worried of what could happen. He was still recovering from his incident with Mr. Wilter. The prospect of potentially getting hurt again must be frightening for him. She knew that she and Rudy would be horrified if something happened to him again, especially after when they just recently got him back. But Rudy did seem confident it was going to work, and that was enough to put Penny’s mind at ease. She was certain Snap would calm down after he realizes he’s not in danger.

“So what’s your plan, Rudy?” Snap spoke up again. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, one eye more narrowed than the other as he tried to think. “Are you going to try to catch Mr. Wilter when he’s alone?”

Rudy shook his head. “We can’t sneak in, Snap. There’s too much security, and you don’t want to know the kind of trouble we’d be in if we’re caught.”

“Precisely.” Penny raised up a finger. “We would need a way to get in without worry of getting caught. Otherwise, we would all end up locked up.” She tilted her head up, her face obtaining a thoughtful look. “We would need a way in that would allow us to slip by unsee.” She looked over at Rudy, giving him a knowing expression. “I believe you know how to do that, don’t you, Rudy?”

Rudy nodded his head. “Yep.” He motioned for his friends to get closer. Once they were close enough, he said, “Here’s what we are going to do...”

sss

After Rudy discussed the plans with his friends, he and Penny returned home. Luckily, their parents hadn’t really noticed they were gone. Rudy’s mother did come in a short time later, once again joking about his ‘girlfriend’. Rudy attempted to explain it to his mother, but it didn’t seem she got the message. Rudy groaned and could only hope that she didn’t spread the word to his other family members. That would be embarrassing.

But he hardly worried about that at the moment. He and his friends had to get ready to put the plan into effect. It wouldn’t be right away. They would have to wait until the funeral and trial were done and over with before they could make a move. Only until after they achieved some kind of closure could they feel comfortable with speaking more to Mr. Wilter on what had happened. Plus, they needed to know which jail Mr. Wilter would be sent to; while they could try to speak to Mr. Wilter where he was now, Rudy said that would be a bad idea as there were inmates across from where he was. They would easily see and hear them speak.

There was the concern that the next jail he’d go to would be just as bad, if not worse, but Rudy felt it was best to take the risk anyway. If worse comes to worse, he’ll fall back and think of another plan. He could usually think of something, or Penny or Snap. They would come up with something that would work.

Then the day came. First up was Mr. Wilter’s trial. Rudy, his family, Penny and her mom all attended. The trial took about an hour to complete. Evidence was brought in regarding his guilt. Some people testified for him, others against him. Mr. Wilter had his chance to speak and he didn’t try to defend himself. He spoke the truth, or rather, what he could. Rudy was called up to the stand once. He said later he felt bad that he testified against Mr. Wilter, but Penny assured him he did the right thing.

Even Snap had a chance to speak. At first, they weren’t going to make him come with. But Rudy felt that the trial would only be fair if Snap, Wilter’s ‘vicitm’, were to be there. Understandably, Snap didn’t want to be there and was nervous. But Rudy and Penny helped him through it, and Snap was able to explain what happened and what Mr. Wilter did, which the two were certain helped to influence the verdict in the end.

Even though the trial took an hour, it felt so much longer. By the time it was over, Rudy and Penny felt relieved to get out of there. Mr. Wilter, unsurprisingly, was found guilty and sent to a nearby jail. Luckily, not the same one run by that corrupt man. The children and their parents were still angry he hadn’t been arrested, but they pushed those thoughts aside, telling themselves that some justice had been served. Mr. Wilter was now finally, truly paying for what he had done, the mistakes he had made.

And now that they know what jail to go to, they could soon begin their trip over. But not quite yet. There was something else they had to do first.

The next day, Vinnie’s funeral took place. This one was hard for the group to go to than Mr. Wilter’s trial. While the thing with Mr. Wilter could be justified, as the man had made a mistake and he needed to pay for it, there was no way they could look at a funeral and say it was ‘okay’.

Just being there awoken deep guilt in Rudy. Same thing with Terry, who had shown up as well with her mother. She was in a wheelchair due to the gash in her side. While most of the family members didn’t mind Rudy being there, despite knowing that Vinnie was going after him, they weren’t as friendly with Terry. It was her wreckless driving that cost Vinnie his life. Terry hardly tried to defend herself; she was still guilt-ridden about what happened and just let them chew her out. Rudy and Penny did defend her, and with Mary’s help, got the grieving family members to back away.

As the funeral took place, everyone got a chance to say something. At least, the ones who could speak. Even Terry had a chance to talk and she apologized profusely for what happened. She hadn’t meant to cause the man’s death and she said she would have to live with it for the rest of her life. Rudy also apologized, as he still felt responsible for what happened. He still wished he could undo his actions, and he expressed how unfair it was for Vinnie to die. He didn’t deserve it.

After the funeral was over, and after the kids and their parents spent some time chatting with various family members, as well as Terry and Mary, Rudy and Penny waited a couple of days before they made their next move. Rudy wanted to do it sooner, but Penny said that they’d need time to ensure that Mr. Wilter had been moved to the jail, and they also needed to look up information about the jail to get a rough estimate of how easy it would be to speak to him privately.

They were relieved when they found out this jail didn’t have bar doors, but instead normal doors that were almost air tight. This not only made it much harder for someone to sneak in information or something to a trapped inmate, but it also meant that they would have a hard time hearing what was being talked about in the cell. There was a monitor system, and each room had one camera, but Penny didn’t think this would be a problem, as the camera only picked up video. If they could get Mr. Wilter to lay down on his bed in a way that the camera could not see the chalkboard, then they would just think Mr. Wilter liked the item a little too much.

When the day came, Rudy and Penny got Snap back into the real world. They came up with some kind of story for their parents and luckily they bought it. They were soon driven to the jail where Mr. Wilter had been taken. Their parents guided them in and they spoke to the head warden, whom Rudy could tell was a lot more reasonable than Synclair was. Although they had a policy that restricted the amount of visitors an inmate could get a day, they decided to let them all see Mr. Wilter anyway.

It felt a little weird, speaking to their teacher when he was in jail. They could hardly see him, a small window being their only way to see inside. They were so used to Mr. Wilter in his teacher uniform, in a class talking about how stupid ‘cartoons’ were. But now here he was, more humbled and quiet, saddened, and wearing a bright orange jumpsuit. If Rudy and the others didn’t know any better, they would think that he was always in jail, always a prisoner.

They weren’t allowed to stay long because it was almost meal time for the inmates. But they were able to stay long enough for them to have some talk, and for Mr. Wilter to offer a quick apology. Rudy was able to give him the chalkboard. The warden slowed him down, taking it and looking at it. But he soon deemed the chalkboard safe and tossed it in. It clanged on the ground. Rudy glared at the warden, annoyed, but he said nothing. At least the man got it.

As they left, Penny commented she had a similar idea. This didn’t surprise Rudy. Great minds think alike. And now that Mr. Wilter had the chalkboard, they could now arrange a meeting time. Rudy had to whisper to Mr. Wilter very lowly about it, and he wasn’t sure if he spoke loud enough. But the man seemed to get the idea and nodded his head in understanding.

Sometime later, they returned home. Penny’s mom spoke with Rudy’s parents before deciding it was time to go home. She and Penny bid them farewell and they left the house. Rudy watched as they left and then attempted to rush up the stairs with Snap. He stopped when his back gash started to act up. His parents looked at it and they put on some aloe and rebandaged it. He went back up the steps, this time, taking his time. Snap kept by his side, looking at him to make sure he didn’t fall down.

Rudy drew a portal into ChalkZone and he and Snap went inside. The two traveled to where Penny was. Rudy created a portal and Penny immediately came in. With the portals erased to ensure no one would come in, the three headed towards there the jail was. It took them a while to find it, as it involved them going through some tricky terrain, but they did manage to make it there in a timely fashion.

Now that they were there, Rudy got out the magic chalk. As he drew the portal, Snap started to look nervous. This was it. He was about to confront his kidnapper and tormentor directly for the first time since he had gotten sick and passed out during the storm. Rudy and Penny did their best to comfort him, but they knew the only thing that would help their friend stop being so nervous was to confront Mr. Wilter.

Soon the portal opened up. The light shined for a second, and they could soon see Mr. Wilter’s face staring back at them. The trio were quiet for a few moments, but soon, they broke the silence, and they began the long awaited conversation.

sss

“So how long are you in for?” That was the first question that came to Rudy’s mind.

Mr. Wilter looked left and right, as if to make sure he wasn’t being watched. He turned back to Rudy, locking eyes with him. “A couple of years.”

“A few years? That doesn’t sound too bad.” Penny commented.

Mr. Wilter nodded his head. “Indeed, it isn’t. It could have been much worse.” He paused, then looked at Rudy. “But some of the things you mentioned in the trial did convince them to give me a lighter punishment. It also helps that Snap is alive, so the charge for murder was dropped.”

Rudy nodded his head. He recalled at the trial, he had testified against Wilter, but he also pleaded for him as well. He believed Mr. Wilter deserved a second chance and that he felt that he didn’t belong in jail for an excessive amount of time. He had learned his lesson; there was little need to have him locked up forever. Even if he himself would remain cautious just in case, he doubted Mr. Wilter would try something like that again, even if he did want to still get into ChalkZone.

Rudy didn’t really expect his words to have an influence, but apparently someone higher up must have heard his pleas. Perhaps the head warden was responsible. He could have lowered the sentence a little. Or perhaps his words had nothing to do with it at all. It didn’t make too much sense for his words to have much of an impact; perhaps the simple fact that Mr. Wilter didn’t kill Snap was enough. But if Mr. Wilter wanted to believe he was solely responsible, he’d let him believe it. There was no harm in that.

“I can only imagine what the sentence would have been...” Penny spoke up. Her gaze was pointed towards the ground, her eyes furrowed in concern. “..if they had still found you guilty of murder...”

“That would have been hard to prove with Snap being there.” Mr. Wilter glanced over at Snap as he said that. “But yeah..” He looked back at Penny. “I would have gotten life for sure. Some people would be calling for my death as well. Not that I got a very welcome response anyway...”

Rudy remembered some of the things people said to him in the trial. Some nasty things, wanting to hear his punishment... What scared Rudy the most is that a lot of these people were parents of the students that the man used to tutor. Before, they had been at least a little friendly with him, but now they had lost all ability to be amiable with him. Now they practically wanted his head on a stick. Even though Mr. Wilter seemed to take it well, seeing him now, he could see the sadness in his eyes. It affected him more than he had let on.

“But at least that’s done and over with.” Mr. Wilter smiled the best he could.

Penny moved her head up and down in agreement. “And after your sentence is over, you can begin anew.” She lowered her gaze. “We’re just...sorry that you won’t be able to return to school. I tried talking to Principal Stringent about it, but she refused to hire you back.”

“She said something about not wanting a criminal in her school.” Rudy remembered the conversation he and Penny had with that woman. Despite their pleas, she refused to cave in. “We apologize.”

“No, no, don’t apologize.” Mr. Wilter waved his hand back and forth in front of him. “After what I did, I deserve it. Besides, I can always find work elsewhere. Even if it’s less flattering, there is always someone willing to hire an ex-con like myself.” After a bit of silence, the man’s face changed into something of curiosity. “Say, who did Principal Stringent get to replace me, anyway?”

At this, Rudy, Penny, and Snap cringed. Mr. Wilter looked at them with a worried and confused expression. The three friends glanced at each other, neither particularly confortable with talking about this. But Mr. Wilter was just going to keep asking. His expression said it all. They might as well get it over with. Besides, he was the first person they could really vent to about this.

“Ms. Tweezer.” Rudy said.

At this, Mr. Wilter’s eyes widened in shock. “Ms. Tweezer? That visiting artist that ran away babbling like an idiot?” The trio nodded their hands at this. “Why would she be hired?”

“We don’t know.” Penny shrugged her shoulders. “And after Rudy pulled that stunt with bringing in zoners...”

Mr. Wilter’s eyes flashed at this. “So that’s the reason she ran off?”

“Yeah. I didn’t mean any harm, though.” Rudy raised his hands into the air. “I just wanted to show her that...”

Mr. Wilter raised his hand up, silencing him. “Don’t worry about it, Rudy. I’m sure you had your reasons.” He smiled at the boy, but soon glared softly. “Well, just watch your back. She might be onto you, Rudy.”

Rudy shuddered at this. He thought that he was out of human enemies. Terry might not try to go after ChalkZone again, though only time would tell. But he had completely forgotten about Ms. Tweezer. He recalled when the woman came to their school to teach an art class. She had a thing against unreal stuff, and she had nearly succeeded in brainwashing him. The memory still filled him with horror even today.

He had been able to get her to back off by allowing zoners into the real world to mess with her. Thinking back, he felt bad for her. Seeing a bunch of beings that she didn’t previously know could exist must have been frightening for her. He must have mentally scarred the woman, and when he thought about it, she wasn’t that bad. Misguided, but she wasn’t some diabolical villain out to conquer the world or anything. She didn’t deserve the mental trauma he gave her.

And now, she was going to be their new teacher. He was terrified of the thought. He had no idea what she was capable of, if she was going to try to get back at him. She would definitely have remembered that incident, and his face, too. Rudy could only hope that things wouldn’t be as bad as he thought, and that Ms. Tweezer would not seek revenge.

But he and Penny would still have to be on their guard even more from now one. With the incident of Mr. Wilter, they couldn’t afford a repeat of what happened.

“Snap?”

Rudy jerked his mind out of his thoughts and he and Penny looked over at Snap, whom Mr. Wilter just called out for. The zoner had been quiet mostly, just listening to them chat. It was clear he was still a bit nervous. He looked up at Mr. Wilter and, hesitantly, moved forward.

“Yes?” Snap asked.

Mr. Wilter bit his lip, his expression softening up more. There was silence for a bit, the only sound being heard was their breathing. Soon Mr. Wilter managed to speak, a slight choke in his voice. “I’m..so sorry... about what I did to you. I’m so sorry.” His voice was low and shaky. Rudy was shocked when he saw there were tears forming in the man’s eyes. “It wasn’t right of me..to do what I did to you... There was no excuse for it.”

Snap looked up at Mr. Wilter in surprise. Though his mouth was open, he kept quiet. He just looked at the man, waiting for him to continue, to say more. It didn’t take long for Mr. Wilter to comply with his silent request.

“I let my own fear get the better of me. When I found out...what you were..I thought you were a threat. I thought you were going to cause a lot of trouble. I...” Wilter went silent. His mouth remained open as he stared at Snap. The two locked eyes with one another. After what felt like an hour, Wilter slowly closed his mouth, his teeth clenching tightly. His eyes filled with shame, his head lowering. “I thought I was doing the right thing...by capturing you, try to tame you through pain and fear...try to get into ChalkZone to put the other zoners under lock and key. I had...only wanted what was..what I thought was best for everyone.”

“By treating the zoners like animals?” Penny said, her eyes narrowed. “How could you have....?”

Mr. Wilter closed his eyes. “Yeah, I can see just how wrong I was now. I was such a fool.” A single tear strolled down his cheek. “I don’t know what I was thinking...” He shook his head slowly. “And all the things I did..” He looked at Snap with a single eye. “I’m so sorry...for all of it. It was my fault you nearly died. If I had left you alone, or at least treated you better, you wouldn’t have gotten an infection, and your arm wouldn’t be damaged.” He lowered his head. “I’m sorry, Snap. I’m so sorry.”

After that, everything went silent. Rudy wanted to speak, but couldn’t bring himself to. Not yet. He looked over at Snap. His friend looked surprised by the apology, and uncertain of how to respond. He and Penny glanced at each other. She slowly shook her head, silently telling Rudy to not interfere. This was between Snap and Wilter. So the two friends merely watched, waiting to see how their friend was going to respond to this.

At first, Snap did nothing. He kept his gaze on Mr. Wilter. It almost looked like he was boring straight through his soul. Rudy had never seen his friend look so intently at something, or someone, like that before. Snap looked deep in thought. He was contemplating what his answer was going to be. He was trying to choose carefully the right words to say. Snap didn’t want to mess this up, and he had to be careful of what he chose. He had every right not to forgive the man, but he also had the power to forgive him as well. Whatever he chose, it would be entirely up to him. Rudy and Penny would not influence his decision.

Soon Snap spoke up, his voice immediately catching their attention.

“I forgive you.”

Mr. Wilter’s eyes widened at this. He stumbled over his words, but he eventually managed to choke out. “Y-You do...?”

Snap nodded his head. A slight glare appeared on his face. “I admit, I’m still not happy with what you had done...”

Mr. Wilter closed his eyes. “I’m sorry about that.”

“I know you are. And at least you admitted you were wrong.” Snap’s expression softened up, the glare from before vanishing. “That took guts.” A smile soon appeared. “And you were willing to try to right your wrong. You helped me, showed me kindness, when you realized what you had done. You had tried to get Rudy. You did what you could to make amends for what you did. And now you apologize to me.” Snap took a couple steps forward, continuing to smile at Mr. Wilter. “And I accept it. You sound sincere, and I see no reason why I should keep holding this against you. Granted, I will probably remain nervous around you for a time, but...I still forgive you.”

Mr. Wilter looked absolutely stunned by this. It was obvious to both Rudy and Penny that the former teacher hadn’t expected any kind of forgiveness from Snap. He must have expected Snap to yell at him or something, or scold him for what he had done. Instead, Snap had put his mind at ease, and had forgiven him for what happened. Even if Snap wasn’t completely over what occurred, he was still pardoning Mr. Wilter. Rudy and Penny couldn’t help but smile at this.

Slowly, Mr. Wilter smiled, and wiped away a tear from his eye. He didn’t say a word. He just continued to smile at Snap, his eyes shining with emotion. Snap smiled back. The zoner walked over and reached his good arm up. Carefully, Mr. Wilter inserted his arm into the portal. The two touched hands with each other, Mr. Wilter’s fingers wrapping over his gently. This solidified the forgiveness, making it known to anyone who might see them that it was genuine.

“If he forgives you...” Penny walked forward. She placed her hand on Mr. Wilter’s. “So do I.”

“Me too.” Rudy joined in as well. All three hands were now touching Mr. Wilter’s, tightening their grip to show how much they meant it. The three of them all smiled at Mr. Wilter. “We all forgive you.”

At this, Mr. Wilter’s eyes widened. Tears formed in them. He soon smiled, his eyes glistening. Relief seemed to emit from his aura, as it did from Rudy and his friends. All of them felt an immense weight lift off of them. Finally, after all this time, it was truly over. Things would never be the same agin, but they all knew, for certain, things would still continue to improve.

And that was enough to cast away any lingering doubts Rudy had in his mind.


End file.
